Agenda and minutes

1.    Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

2.    Other Interests

There were no disclosures of interest.

None.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2024, be approved as a correct record.

It was requested that an update on the opening date of Glossop Halls be added to the work programme and that the dates of future meeting be circulated to members.

RESOLVED:

That subject to the above, the Select Committees Work Programmes be noted.

The Committee considered a report which provided an update on work taking place with Derby and Derbyshire councils on a revised approach to collaborative and partnership working and to seek approval from the Executive to participate in a new Joint Committee of Derby and Derbyshire’s councils – the Derby and Derbyshire Strategic Leadership Board.

The report also set out how this would link into the new East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) arrangements.

Members discussed communication with the public around the role and powers of the Mayor, the governance arrangements and welcomed borough/district councils being actively engaged with the programme. The Leader advised that there were plans for a booklet to be distributed to all households in the Borough.

RESOLVED:

The Corporate Select Committee supported the following recommendations to the Executive:

·         The Executive notes the outcome of the governance review of cross Derbyshire bodies that lead to the proposals to merge appropriate governancestructures intoa singlenew frameworkfor DerbyshireCouncils, which will include a new formal decision-making Joint Committee called the Derby & Derbyshire Strategic LeadershipBoard.

·         The Executive approves proposals for the establishment of the Boardand delegatesfunctions tothe JointCommittee asset outin the Functions and Responsibilities document in Appendix2 to the report.

·         The Executive notes the draft the Terms of Reference, including the Introduction and Context, Functions and Responsibilities, Procedural Rules and Information Procedure Rules for the Strategic Leadership Board as set out at Appendix 2 and the position detailed in those documents regarding scrutiny andco-option.

·         The Executive approves the Council’s active participation in the Board and appoints the Leader of the Council as the Council’s representative on the Derby & Derbyshire Strategic Leadership Board plus the Deputy Leader as a substitute.

·         The Executive notes the progress with the establishment of the East Midlands Combined County Combined Authority (EMCCA) as set out in sections 10.1 to 10.6 of the report.

·         The Executive notes the intention that the SLB be the body for the nomination of district and Borough representatives to the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA).

·         The Executive notes the intention that the County Council will act as the host authority for the JointCommittee.

·         The Executive notes the dissolution of the D2 Joint Committee for Economic Prosperity, the enactment of which is subject to the establishment of the Derby and Derbyshire Strategic Leadership Board, and that the Council’s Constitution is amended accordingly.

·         The Executive notes the dissolution of the Vision Derbyshire Joint Committee, the enactmentof whichis subjectto theestablishment ofthe Derby and Derbyshire StrategicLeadership Board, and that the Council’s Constitution is amendedaccordingly.

The Committee received a presentation on the annual performance of Alliance Norse from the Operation Director.

The presentation included financial information, a breakdown of disabled facilities grant spend and detail of key performance indicators relating to compliance, repairs, voids, cleaning and caretaking and the Capital Programme.

In response to queries in relation to the digitised asbestos register and stair lifts, members were advised that this information had now all been fully digitised and that all stair lifts had been identified and within the maintenance programme.

The Officer provided an explanation of void properties, categories of repairs and how damp and mould was reported and managed. Information was also given in regard to some work recently undertaken at Buxton Opera House.

Members discussed the condition of public toilets, and it was agreed that the Executive Director (Resources) would undertake a site visit and the Asset Management Working Group would consider any opportunities for the improvement of the facilities.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation be received.

The Leader and Chief Executive provided the Committee with an update on the capital funding which included timescales, an economic business case and the intention was for the investment plan to be approved by Individual Executive Decision.

RESOLVED:

That the update be noted and a further update be provided at the next meeting of the Committee.

The Committee considered the Action Plan for the implementation of the Access to Services, Digital and Organisational Development Strategies which was accompanied by a presentation.

The presentation was delivered by the Head of Organisation Development and Transformation and covered the following topics:

·       Our Alliance Journey

·       Our Vision

·       Our Goals

·       Activity to date

·       Our Network

·       What’s next

At its 10th February 2022 meeting, the Executive approved the strategies 

which were designed to respond to new challenges as the Council needed to continue its transformation, develop new ways to make services more intelligent and more relevant to the lives of the people who rely on them.

Each of the strategies contained an outline action plan which set out the initiatives that would be undertaken over the next three years to implement the strategies. A number of the actions overlapped and it was agreed that, following their approval, a combined action plan would be developed which would establish timescales and milestones for the delivery of the individual projects.

Emerging from the combined action plan was the implementation of an Alliance wide service review programme. This had recently been mobilised and was branded as ‘Alliance: Our Future’.

Officers gave assurance that the Council was keen to engage with those that did not use technology to access services and the importance of face-to-face customer advisors being available at Buxton Town Hall was highlighted by a member of the Committee.

A councillor gave some suggestions on some apps that may be useful for the Customer Services team to consider for the collection of data.

In response to a query in relation to the negative impact appraisals could have on employees, members were advised that the new staff appraisal had been well received and comprised of 4 elements; goals and priorities, enabling performance, development and aspirations and health and wellbeing. 

Good partnership arrangements were discussed, along with the ability for residents to make complaints anonymously and for councillors to log service requests via the website rather than by telephone to the Contact Centre.

RESOLVED:

That the Corporate Select Committee noted the progress of the combined action plan for delivery of the strategies as detailed at Appendix B to the report.

There were none.

To resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as there may be disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as there may be disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Committee received an update on the Springs development and centre management.

Members were briefed on the Glossop Halls project.

Members were appraised of the latest information in relation to the review of the Council’s assets.