To receive for apologies for absence (to include reasons, where appropriate) from Members / Officers.

Apologies for absence were received from the following Members/ Officers:

Councillor E Dodd

Councillor M Jones

David Holland – Head of Joint Regulatory Services

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including Whipping Declarations)

None

To receive for approval, the minutes of the meeting of the Partnerships and Governance Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 19^th June 2015

The minutes of the meeting held on 19^th June 2015 were approved as a true and accurate record

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report to Committee of the items due to be considered at the Committee’s meeting to held on 29 October 2015 and sought confirmation required for the subsequent scheduled meeting to be held on 2 December 2015.  She also presented a list of further potential items for prioritisation by Committee.

Conclusion:                 Members noted the topics due to be considered at the meeting of the Committee for 29 October 2015 and would confirm to the Scrutiny team if they required any additional specific information to be provided by the invitees or the Overview and Scrutiny Team

                                    Members requested further information on the Corporate Procurement Review update for the meeting of 2 December 2015, specifically how much of the procurement comes from Wales

                                    Members agreed to consider the list of future potential items for the Committees Forward Programme and reprioritise as the Committee feels appropriate

Invitees:

Councillor C E Smith - Cabinet Member - Regeneration and Economic Development

Andrew Jolley - Assistant Chief Executive

Lee Jones - Head of Regulatory Services

David Holland  – Head of the Joint Regulatory Service

The Scrutiny Officer provided the Committee with an update on the development of the Shared Regulatory Service between Bridgend, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Councils.  Following a procurement exercise, using the RCF, external agents Atkins were commissioned in September 2013 to produce a business case, Target Operating Model and implementation plan for the creation of a shared regulatory service

The Head of Regulatory Services and Operational Manager Enterprise and Specialist Services gave a presentation which updated Members on the current position of the Collaborative Services Project.

Members asked if BCBC were confident that large businesses would choose Bridgend as a primary Authority to work with and if there was a possibility that Cardiff would have a larger intake of businesses wanting to partnership with them over Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan.  They also asked how this issue would be addressed if this was the case.

The Operational Manager Enterprise and Specialist Services stated that the Regulatory Services Collaborative Project will allow BCBC for greater resilience and sustainability and Bridgend (as would be the same for the other partners) would benefit from a shared support to meet challenges and financial pressures that the authority will face in the future.  The Operational Manager Enterprise and Specialist Services stated they were confident that businesses would want to work with them as they have existing experience, already having a Primary Authority relationship with for example; the association of convenience stores which have over 33,500 members. She further added that a joint Committee consisting of two Councillors from each Local Authority involved in the collaboration has been set up specifically to monitor the Joint Regulatory Services Collaborative project and would be monitoring to ensure services are delivered objectively with workload monitored monthly.

Members questioned the success of the transfer of 170 employees to the Vale of Glamorgan authority

The Operational Manager Enterprise and Specialist Services confirmed that on the 1 May 2015 staff were transferred to the Vale of Glamorgan as host employer with their new contracts and pay arrangements, she explained that the transfer went well and staff had their first pay day on 15May 2015.  A consultation has taken place with staff to discuss any concerns they had in relation to the transfer which were responded to iteratively.  In response to a question from the Committee she explained that some staff have had changes in locations of their teams. They were currently consulting with staff as the new structure is populated as part of this the project is continuing to develop an agile working.

Members asked what the risks were to staff and how many redundancies had been made

The Operational Manager Enterprise and Specialist Services stated that any requirement for redundancies would be completed on a tier by tier basis and would be dealt with within the ring fencing procedures.  One of the aims of the project was to make savings as well as ensuring sustainability of the service and for this to be achieved; staff numbers would need  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report which sought the Committees approval of a revised Terms of Reference for the Local Service Board Overview and Scrutiny Panel. 

The Scrutiny Officer explained that they had carried out a successful review of the membership and contacted all the representative organisations that sit on the LSB, for nominations from their respective Trustee Board or equivalent to increase the membership and improve the effectiveness of the Panel.  Briefing sessions and an introduction to the Panel had been planned for 1 October 2015.

RESOLVED:               The Committee approved the redrafted Terms of Reference for the Local Service Board Overview and Scrutiny Panel

To consider any items of business in respect of which notice has been given in accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency. 

None