Issue - meetings

The Chief Executive presented a report on the subject of the Local Government Association Corporate Peer Challenge that had been undertaken at the start of the calendar year and the action plan that had been developed to address the issues raised during the challenge.  The challenge had been undertaken by colleagues from other local authorities and it had been conducted as a critical friend exercise.  Members were asked to note that the Corporate Peer Challenge had been a joint exercise reviewing services delivered by Redditch Borough and Bromsgrove District Councils.

The feedback report, which had been produced at the end of the Corporate Peer Challenge, had been sent to the Council in the previous municipal year.  However, a decision had been taken to postpone consideration of the report until the local elections had taken place and then there had been a further delay to enable the new political administration to settle in before discussing the matter further.

The feedback report contained a range of recommendations to enhance services across the two Councils.  One of the key proposals had been for the Council to introduce a single workforce for the two authorities.  The Corporate Management Team (CMT) had reviewed this proposal and, having undertaken a lot of work on staff harmonisation and being in the process of a review of the two Councils’ job evaluation schemes, senior officers had concluded that a single workforce was not viable at this stage.  However, it was possible that this proposal would be revisited in the future.

Members were asked to note that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had pre-scrutinised the report at their meeting on 18^th October.  During their discussions the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had concluded that actions 10 and 11 in the Corporate Peer Challenge action plan should only apply to Bromsgrove District Council and that this should be clarified within the plan.  The Chief Executive explained that recommendation 8 related specifically to Bromsgrove District Council, with regards to the conduct of the political debate at that authority.  Recommendations 9, 10 and 11 all related to updating the Councils’ constitutions, which was already happening in Redditch.

Members discussed the report and commented on the following matters during this debate:

·                The “Lead Officer” column and the references to the “Leader” within this column.  Officers confirmed that this was referring to the Leaders of the Councils in Redditch and Bromsgrove rather than to political party group leaders.

·                The references in the same column to “Cabinet” and whether this applied just to Bromsgrove District Council.  Officers advised that in the majority of cases this should have involved referring to both the Executive Committee and Cabinet.

·                The reference in the action plan to regular meetings between the Executive Committee and Bromsgrove District Council’s Cabinet starting in November.  Members questioned when these meetings would start to take place and whether those who were not Portfolio Holders would be attending.

·                The value of retaining workforces for both Redditch Borough Council and Bromsgrove District Council.

·                The current decision  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51