Agenda item

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.

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