Issue - decisions

Matter for Decision

 

Cambridge City Council (CCC), Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) and South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) had agreed to work in partnership to deliver shared services and had agreed general principles to underpin the approach.   

 

The report provided the business case to establish a Shared Legal Service (to be known as the Practice) between the Councils and detailed the activity to create the Practice.

 

Decision of the Leader

 

Approved the Business Case and delegate authority to the Director of Business Transformation to make decisions and to take steps which are necessary, conducive or incidental to the establishment of the Practice in accordance with the business case. 

 

Reason for the Decision

 

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

 

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

 

The Committee received a report from the Director of Business Transformations regarding Shared Legal Services.

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

 

     i.        Expressed concerns that a permanent Head of Service had not been appointed to shape the services.

    ii.        Suggested that protocols regarding which tasks were to be outsourced to an external provider needed to be in place soon.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Director of Business Transformation stated that:

 

     i.        Appointing a permanent Head of Service at this point would have delayed the project. Consultations regarding the management team structure and operating model were on-going.  

    ii.        The Interim Head of Service had the capacity to get the initial tasks completed.

   iii.        The larger team would result in a broader range of in house services being available.

  iv.        The Interim Head of Service would have line management function for the three teams.

   v.        The existing close working relationship between City Legal and Planning Teams would be maintained.

  vi.        Procurement would not be a shared service.

 

The Committee resolved unanimously to endorse the recommendation.

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendation.