Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no urgent items.

There were no Visiting Members.

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

All Cabinet Members declared they had been lobbied with regard to Agenda Item 8 – Environmental Health Shared Service.

RESOLVED: That the items on the Agenda be taken in public as promised.

1.  That Maidstone, Swale and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils enter into a planning support shared service with the identified planning support functions (as set out at Appendix 2 of Appendix A to the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment).

2.  That the single site model identified in the business case be used for the shared service (as set out at Appendix 6B - Model 2 of Appendix A of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment)

3.  That Maidstone be chosen as the location for the service as a result of the location criteria assessment (as set out at Appendix 5 of Appendix A of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment) and that delegated authority be given to Chief Executives to consider whether and how TUPE should apply to this particular service.

4.  That a Shared Planning Support Manager be appointed to manage the shared service and to lead on the implementation and delivery of the service as part of the MKIP Planning Support Shared Service project team (as set out at Appendix 3 of Appendix A of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment)

5.  That the principle of a single team structure be agreed and the Chief Executives be given delegated authority to finalise the structure, including consideration of a technical officer at each site within cost limits set out at Appendix 4 of Appendix A of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment, for union and staff consultation.

6.  That the initial savings split for the shared service be on an investment basis, as set out in Appendix 4 of Appendix A of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment, with the costs of service moving toward a volume based costing model as further savings are identified and the volumes of work through the new team can be accurately measured.

7.  That Section 151 Officers appoint lead accountants from each authority to form a finance group to support the project board and team in developing the setup of the budgets for the Shared Planning Support Service.

8.  That the treatment of the predicted efficiencies in planning officer time for Maidstone and Swale, estimated at £27k-£32k, from transferring validation to the support team be noted as being outside of the scope of this project and for each authority to determine.

DECISION MADE:

1.  That Maidstone, Swale and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils enter into a planning support shared service with the identified planning support functions (as set out at Appendix 2 of Appendix A to the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment).

2.  That the single site model identified in the business case be used for the shared service (as set out at Appendix 6B - Model 2 of Appendix A of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment)

3.  That Maidstone be chosen as the location for the service as a result of the location criteria assessment (as set out at Appendix 5 of Appendix A of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment) and that delegated authority be given to Chief Executives to consider whether and how TUPE should apply to this particular service.

4.  That a Shared Planning Support Manager be appointed to manage the shared service and to lead on the implementation and delivery of the service as part of the MKIP Planning Support Shared Service project team (as set out at Appendix 3 of Appendix A of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment)

5.  That the principle of a single team structure be agreed and the Chief Executives be given delegated authority to finalise the structure, including consideration of a technical officer at each site within cost limits set out at Appendix 4 of Appendix A of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment, for union and staff consultation.

6.  That the initial savings split for the shared service be on an investment basis, as set out in Appendix 4 of Appendix A of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment, with the costs of service moving toward a volume based costing model as further savings are identified and the volumes of work through the new team can be accurately measured.

7.  That Section 151 Officers appoint lead accountants from each authority to form a finance group to support the project board and team in developing the setup of the budgets for the Shared Planning Support Service.

8.  That the treatment of the predicted efficiencies in planning officer time for Maidstone and Swale, estimated at £27k-£32k, from transferring validation to the support team be noted as being outside of the scope of this project and for each authority to determine.

To view full details of this Decision, please click here:-

http://meetings.maidstone.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=696

1.  That approval be given in principle for the creation of a shared Environmental Health Service between Maidstone, Swale and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils.

2.  That a two site model, located at Swale and Tunbridge Wells, with a single shared Environmental Health Manager be developed as the preferred model, with the stipulation that Maidstone be treated as a single territory for the delivery of its food and commercial premises inspections.

3.  That an interim Shared Environmental Health Manager be appointed for a period of 6 months to develop the organisational and operational arrangements for the shared service, including identifying the financial implications of the model and reviewing the service delivery arrangements for premises inspections and environmental permitting for the partnership as a whole.

4.  That Overview and Scrutiny be invited to comment on the proposed operational model for the shared service before final approval and that delegated authority for this decision be given to the respective portfolio holders for Environmental Health at each authority.

DECISION MADE:

1.  That approval be given in principle for the creation of a shared Environmental Health Service between Maidstone, Swale and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils.

2.  That a two site model, located at Swale and Tunbridge Wells, with a single shared Environmental Health Manager be developed as the preferred model, with the stipulation that Maidstone be treated as a single territory for the delivery of its food and commercial premises inspections.

3.  That an interim Shared Environmental Health Manager be appointed for a period of 6 months to develop the organisational and operational arrangements for the shared service, including identifying the financial implications of the model and reviewing the service delivery arrangements for premises inspections and environmental permitting for the partnership as a whole.

4.  That Overview and Scrutiny be invited to comment on the proposed operational model for the shared service before final approval and that delegated authority for this decision be given to the respective portfolio holders for Environmental Health at each authority.

To view full details of this Decision, please click here:-

http://meetings.maidstone.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=697

3.00 p.m. to 3.56 p.m.