Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Richard Millard (Deputy Leader of East Hampshire District Council), Councillor Michael Cheshire (Leader of Havant Borough Council) and David Hill (Chief Executive of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils). 

To adopt as a correct record the minutes of the joint committee held on 15 November 2016 and agree that the chairman signs them as such. 

RESOLVED: to adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Five Councils’ Partnership Corporate Services Joint Committee meeting held on 15 November 2016. 

The chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and outlined the emergency evacuation arrangements. 

To consider the report of the Interim Client Relationship Director. 

The Five Councils’ Partnership Corporate Services Joint Committee, hereinafter referred to as the joint committee, considered the performance report from the interim client relationship director.  The joint committee also noted the exempt appendix containing the risk register and noted that this would be kept under review by the partnership’s strategic management board. 

Day-to-day both contractors, Capita and Vinci, were performing well and had largely met their key performance indicator targets.  However, there were some areas where performance data would not be available until the first anniversary of the contract had passed. 

The joint committee noted that while most day-to-day key performance indicators had been met, there had been difficulties with the transformation of services, in particular HR and payroll.  Although Capita had recently increased resources in its change management programme to improve the transformation of these services, the joint committee asked the interim client relationship director to monitor the effects of this. 

The joint committee asked whether the key performance indicators were too lenient, were relevant, or measured the most important elements.  It was accepted that at this early stage in the contract, and as the other partner councils’ services joined the contract, there would be a period of bedding in and data gathering.  However, the joint committee agreed that the key performance indicators should be reviewed at some point. 

The joint committee asked the interim client relationship director to further refine the performance report for future meetings so that it showed key performance indicators for each council. 

RESOLVED: to

(a)       note the performance report ‘April 2017’ from Capita;

(b)       note the performance report ‘April 2017’ from Vinci; and

(c)       note the exempt risk register, and note that this will be kept under review by the partnership’s strategic management board. 

To consider the report of the Interim Client Relationship Director. 

The joint committee considered the report on marketing and brand, provided by the interim client relationship director, and noted the exempt appendix.  The report had been provided in response to a request by partner councils at a previous meeting.  This looked at the possible marketing and opportunity for growth of the partnership. 

The joint committee discussed the merits of, and issues that could arise with, marketing the partnership with a view to either expanding it beyond the existing five councils or marketing the model to other council partnerships.  It was concluded that consideration of this matter should be deferred until the next joint committee meeting as it was too soon for the partner councils to make a decision. 

RESOLVED: to defer consideration of the marketing and brand report from the interim client relationship director until the next joint committee meeting. 

To consider the report of the Interim Client Relationship Director. 

The joint committee considered the report of the interim client relationship director on the scope of a review of the client team.  The current joint client team design had been introduced as a short-term model to support the commencement of the contracts.  The partnership councils’ representatives of the strategic management board had instructed a review of the client team to:

·         Design the future form, function and purpose of the client team

·         Consider how the councils would need to manage data sharing between them and

·         Deliver the changes once approved by all partner councils

The joint committee agreed that a review was necessary. 

RESOLVED: to note the scope of the review of the joint client team resources.  

To note that the Joint Scrutiny Committee is due to meet on 23 May. 

The joint committee noted the terms of reference of the partnership’s Joint Scrutiny Committee, which was due to meet on 23 May 2017. 

To consider the exempt appendix to the transition and transformation report. 

The joint committee noted the exempt report of the interim client relationship director.  This showed progress against the transition and transformation programmes between the partner councils and the contractors: Capita and Vinci.  The joint committee noted that in respect of some of the services provided by Capita, further work was required. 

To receive an update on the financial position. 

The joint committee noted the exempt report of the interim client relationship director.  This set out progress with, and the current draft position of, the finances for the corporate services contract. 

The committee is asked to agree the dates and times of its meetings in 2017/18 as follows, noting that these will be hosted by Hart District Council, all being on Tuesdays:

·         20 June 2017

·         12 September 2017

·         19 December 2017

·         13 March 2018 

The joint committee agreed to hold its next meeting on Monday 14 August 2017 at a time to be confirmed.  This would be held at the offices of Hart District Council, the host authority for 2017/18.  Thereafter joint committees should be held on a quarterly basis on dates to be determined.