Venue: Town Hall, High Street, Maidstone
Contact: Christian Scade
01622 602523
Items
No. |
Item |
1. |
The Committee to consider whether all items on the agenda should be webcast
Minutes:
RESOLVED: That all items on the agenda be
web-cast.
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2. |
Apologies
Minutes:
It was noted that
apologies had been received from Councillor Butler.
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3. |
Notification of Substitute Members
Minutes:
There were no Substitute Members.
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4. |
Notification of Visiting Members/Witnesses
Minutes:
There were no Visiting Members/Witnesses.
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5. |
Disclosures by Members and Officers
Minutes:
There were no disclosures by Members or
Officers.
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6. |
Exempt Items
Minutes:
RESOLVED: That
the items on the Agenda be taken in public as proposed.
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7. |
MKIP Update and Next Steps Report PDF 34 KB
Interview with Jane Clarke, MKIP Programme
Manager
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The MKIP Programme
Manager, Jane Clarke gave Members a brief précis of how she
had come to be seconded to the role following the previous
incumbent moving on.
The MKIP Programme Manager drew Members’ attention to the
outcomes of two reports from Trowers
& Hamlins and Mazars LLP which considered the implications and
the business case for two distinct models of operation:
- a separate legal
entity
- a single host
operational model
These reports formed
the basis of a report considered by the MKIP Management Board in
December 2013. It was explained that whilst there were no clear
advantages that would differentiate between the two models, setting
up a separate legal entity would require significant further
investment, which was not considered practical at the
time. The report also recommended that
broader governance issues needed to be resolved regardless of the
operational model chosen to provide shared services.
The Committee were informed that the MKIP Management Board had
agreed not to proceed further with either of the two options but
instead would explore an alternative operational model in the
medium term. The option that was settled on in December 2013 was to
enhance the status quo of operations. This would retain existing
arrangements and keep MKIP within the three Authorities as a shared
partnership but shared services would be reviewed to see if more
efficiencies could be gleaned from
them.
It was explained that, in March 2013, the MKIP Management Board had
approved to trial a ‘single lead provider director’ who
would line manage a range of current and future Mid Kent Services,
acting as a single point of contact for shared service issues, and
be accountable for provision to ensure they meet the objectives and
levels of service individually agreed at each Authority. It was
noted that Paul Taylor from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council would
be seconded to this role on a year’s trial with effect from 5
May 2014.
Alongside the trial of the new Director, there were a host of
practical issues, considered to be ‘model neutral
issues’ that needed to be addressed. These included shared service plans, performance
indicators and ensuring communication was effective across the
three Authorities.
It was noted that a clear distinction had been identified between
Mid Kent Services, which were the operational services Paul Taylor
would be responsible for delivering, and the Mid Kent Improvement
Programme, which is a more strategic outward looking arrangement
that would seek to improve efficiencies across the three
Authorities in terms of partnership working.
The MKIP Programme Manager’s report highlighted what work had
been done over the past year and a flavour of what would be
undertaken over the coming year.
The MKIP Programme Manager advised the Committee that she had been
to a Scrutiny meeting at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council the night
before to give an update. It was noted that those Members had been
very positive about the shared services arrangements and could see
the benefits. They were concerned,
however, about the governance arrangements for the process and
...
view the full minutes text for item 7.
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8. |
Duration of Meeting
Minutes:
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