Agenda item

To consider a report to endorse the 2017/18 Annual Report for the Shared Services.

(Executive Councillor: Cllr D M Tyose)

Endorse the Shared Service Annual Report for 2017/18 attached at Appendix 1 to the submitted report; and

Delegates authority to the Shared Service Management Board to agree any final amendments to the Annual Report in line with comments received from all three partner Councils.

The Cabinet received a report (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) by the Corporate Director – Services regarding the Shared Service’s Annual Report.

The Annual Report reflected the progress that had been made over the last year in the shared service arena, establishing and stabilising operational structures, controlling costs, and beginning to deliver on the ambitious objectives of the original Business Plans.

The Lead Members at each of the three Councils had been consulted regarding the Annual Report and it was required to be endorsed by each of the three partner individual governance committees.

In July 2015, Cambridge City Council, Huntingdonshire District Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council had each approved a lead authority model for shared services, where an agreed lead council would be responsible for the operational delivery of ICT, Building Control and Legal. 

The 1st October 2015 was when each nominated lead Council commenced as the Employing Authority for the respective shared service.  Since the go-live date each shared service has been working to review staffing structures, working practices and overall service provision in order to deliver the desired outcomes of the shared service partnership.  The Annual Report detailed that much of this work was now complete, providing a stable platform on which to proceed.

3C Legal Service, known as ‘The Practice’, had been through considerable change during 2017/18, including the introduction of time recording software.  The savings target had been achieved, which was the equivalent of a reduction of 15% of the net revenue budget after income.

One of the biggest opportunities identified for the 3C ICT service was to consider the digital offer across each Authority and provide coordinated advice and support in shaping the future delivery of digital services.  The customer was at the centre of the work ranging from the customer interface and their ‘on-line’ experience through to digitally enabled applications.

ICT staff retention had now improved following the shared service creation and Partners were now paying 4% less for their ICT service under 3C ICT, a position that would improve as a number of cost consolidation projects were delivered, one project being the Shared Waste Software.

Recruitment to the Building Control service had been positive - there had been a planned issue with resource and consequently service provision due to termination of agency contractors and the delay between recruitment and appointment of permanent members of the team.

It was noted that the Building Control was working on a variety of key projects for the 3C Partners and were successful when bidding for large contracts.

During 2017/18 the market share for 3C Building Control was 53% with the Private Sector taking around 47%.  It was explained that the Building Control fees in comparison to those of the Private Sector were competitive with the added advantage that the service was able to be tailored to an individual’s requirements.  It was noted that the service was not permitted to make a profit.  Building Control had a variety of customers and the Annual Report summarised the positive customer feedback.

In response to a question relating to the additional funds allocated to ICT during the last budget setting process it was explained that some spend had been incorrectly allocated and not appropriately recharged to the other Partner authorities such as for TechOne.  However, the funds had been required for other additional spend not incorporated into the budget such as for licences.

It was confirmed that the Annual Report detailed the outturn for 2017/2018 and whilst it was below the target in the original business case, it represented progress, with a clear plan in place to achieve the original target of 15% saving on the starting budgets before the creation of 3C.

Having acknowledged the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel the Cabinet;

RESOLVED

  i.  to endorse the Shared Service Annual Report for 2017/18 attached at Appendix 1 to the submitted report; and

  ii.  to delegate authority to the Shared Service Management Board to agree any final amendments to the Annual Report in line with comments received from all three partner Councils.