Agenda item

The Portfolio Holder for Climate, Access and Engagement to submit a report on a service leadership and collaboration arrangement proposal with a neighbouring authority to improve resilience, achieve better use of resources and better enable a shared approach to preparations for legislative and regulatory change.

Cabinet:

1.    APPROVED a service leadership and collaboration arrangement between Harborough District Council and Melton Borough Council for delivery of Waste and Environmental Maintenance Services from 1st April 2023.

2.    DELEGATED authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate, Access and Engagement, authority to:

2.1      Determine and conclude the actions required to establish arrangements for a shared leadership post.

2.2      Review the shared leadership and collaboration arrangements for Waste and Environmental Maintenance Services within six months, to determine whether a shared approach is extended and to enter into required arrangements to enact this.

3.    APPROVED a service leadership and collaboration arrangement between Harborough District Council and Melton Borough Council for delivery of Regulatory Services from 1st April 2023.

4.    DELEGATED to the Director for Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate, Access and Engagement, authority to:

4.1. Determine and conclude the actions required to establish arrangements for a shared leadership post and any subsequent reviews.

4.2. Agreed the terms of a reciprocal arrangement for mutual aid with Harborough District Council and record the same in a memorandum of understanding.

4.3. Amend the establishments as identified in section 9.10 of this report and undertake recruitment to resource the teams fully.

5.    NOTED the practical actions required to give lawful effect to the mutual aid arrangement.

Director for Housing and Communities introduced the report the purpose of which updated Members of the proposed service leadership and collaboration arrangement with a neighbouring authority to improve resilience, achieve better use of resources and better enable a shared approach to preparations for legislative and regulatory change.

The Portfolio Holder for Climate, Access and Engagement said that the Council is committed to deliver excellent service but has to look at ways of being cost effective. This proposal to collaborate with a neighbouring authority will give a better use of services and resources and will enable us to use the expertise, knowledge and skills to give us more resilience in service delivery -  This arrangement is initially for six months and will then be reviewed, regular updates will be given as to how successful it has been.  The Council receives complimentary reports on the quality of our waste service collection particularly with our collections over holiday periods and bad weather, so it is important we still maintain the good service we deliver.

The Leader also commented on the good service we deliver and that the Council is judged by the service we deliver.  This paper had been to Harborough District Council a couple of days previously to also agree to this collaboration.

Cabinet:

1.    APPROVED a service leadership and collaboration arrangement between Harborough District Council and Melton Borough Council for delivery of Waste and Environmental Maintenance Services from 1st April 2023.

2.    DELEGATED authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate, Access and Engagement, authority to:

2.1      Determined and concluded the actions required to establish arrangements for a shared leadership post.

2.2      Reviewed the shared leadership and collaboration arrangements for Waste and Environmental Maintenance Services within six months, to determine whether a shared approach is extended and to enter into required arrangements to enact this.

3.    APPROVED a service leadership and collaboration arrangement between Harborough District Council and Melton Borough Council for delivery of Regulatory Services from 1st April 2023.

4.    DELEGATED to the Director for Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate, Access and Engagement, authority to:

4.1. Determined and concluded the actions required to establish arrangements for a shared leadership post and any subsequent reviews.

4.2. Agreed the terms of a reciprocal arrangement for mutual aid with Harborough District Council and record the same in a memorandum of understanding.

4.3. Amended the establishments as identified in section 9.10 of this report and undertake recruitment to resource the teams fully.

5.    NOTED the practical actions required to give lawful effect to the mutual aid arrangement.

Reason for Recommendations:

Further to a vacancy management review and consideration of future delivery options, a service leadership and collaboration arrangement with a neighbouring authority is proposed for each of these key operational services.

This will improve resilience, achieve better use of resources, value for money and better enable preparations for legislative and regulatory change.

The proposed arrangements for Waste and Environmental Maintenance Services will be reviewed within six months, to ensure they are working effectively and to determine future collaboration options.

The proposed arrangements for Regulatory Services follow a successful period of informal collaboration.

The recommendations are in line with the principles of the Council’s Workforce Strategy and vacancy management arrangements.