Issue - meetings
Planning Support Shared Service
Meeting: 05/11/2015 - Policy and Resources Committee (Item 97)
Additional documents:
Decision:
1)
That the Business Case prepared and presented by the Mid Kent
Services Director, subject to any amendments following necessary
consultation with affected staff, be agreed;
2)
That the disaggregation of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council from the
Mid Kent Planning Support Service be agreed;
3)
That Maidstone Borough Council’s partnership in the Mid Kent
Planning Support Service with Swale Borough Council continue,
subject to:
·
moving to a ‘volume based’ contribution mechanism;
and
·
undertaking a joint review of the
service with Swale Borough Council by June 2017.
4)
That the continuation of the shared Land Charges Service between
Maidstone, Swale and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils be noted;
and
5) That delegated authority be given to the Director of Environment and Shared Services to finalise the detail of any collaboration agreement(s) that are required as a result of the decisions taken by the Committee.
Minutes:
The Committee
considered the report of the Director of Environment and Shared
Service which provided an update on the discussions and respective
position of the partner local authorities following an ‘in
principle’ decision by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to
disaggregate from the Mid Kent Planning Support (MKPS) shared
service and to consider what approach Maidstone Borough Council
wished to take with regard to its future role within the shared
service.
Members were also given a brief introduction by the Director of Mid
Kent Services in relation to the Business Case.
The Director of Mid Kent Services advised that the Business Case had been prepared by a project board of officers across the three authorities. He gave thanks to those involved, particularly the Planning Support team and the Planning Support Manager who have continued to focus on business as usual throughout.
Members noted that the Business Case considered the cost implications of the various scenarios, which were to disaggregate the three way shared service; to reconstitute a planning support service for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (located at Tunbridge Wells) and a shared service between Maidstone and Swale Borough Councils (which would continue to be located at Maidstone).
Members noted that the final implementation date would be in July 2016.
During the joint
discussion, in response to questions raised by Members, it was
noted that:
* the IDOX system would not go live until all the tests had
been
completed and the processes
signed off by all three parties.
* in terms of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council bearing any
reasonable
costs associated with the
disaggregation of the project, a line would be
drawn once the project goes live
and the systems are implemented.
* the improvement targets had been
agreed between Maidstone and
Swale Borough Councils but the
respective Councils would be looking to
improve those targets as the
service moves on.
RESOLVED:
1)
That the Business Case prepared and presented by the Mid Kent
Services Director, subject to any amendments following necessary
consultation with affected staff, be agreed;
2)
That the disaggregation of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council from the
Mid Kent Planning Support Service be agreed;
3)
That Maidstone Borough Council’s partnership in the Mid Kent
Planning Support Service with Swale Borough Council continue,
subject to:
·
moving to a ‘volume based’ contribution mechanism;
and
·
undertaking a joint review of the
service with Swale Borough Council by June 2017.
4)
That the continuation of the shared Land Charges Service between
Maidstone, Swale and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils be noted;
and
5)
That delegated authority be given to the
Director of Environment and Shared Services to finalise the detail
of any collaboration agreement(s) that are required as a result of
the decisions taken by the Committee.
Voting: For: 13 Against: 0 Abstentions: 0