Report to follow

Members were asked to approve the creation of a formal strategic partnership between Brentwood Borough Council (the Council) and Rochford District Council (RDC) in accordance with Heads of Terms agreed between the two councils.

To approve the drawdown of £300,000 to programme resource the Transformation Unit and for the implementation of the organisational structure required to deliver the strategic outcomes of the partnership.

To consider the recommendations made by the Audit & Scrutiny Committee following their pre-scrutiny of this report on 12 January 2022 and the additional recommendations made by the Rochford District Council’s Review Committee on 13 January 2022.

Mr Summers informed Members of an amendment to recommendation 8, to state the inclusion of the Audit & Scrutiny Committee (Brentwood) together with the Review Committee (Rochford).

Cllr Nolan, Chair of the Audit & Scrunty Committee presented a brief overview of the meeting on 12 January 2022 and the recommendations from that meeting that have been included in this report.

Cllr Hossack advised that the Leader and Deputy Leader of Rochford District Council, Cllr’s Wootton and Roe, were in attendance. Cllr Hossack also thanked officers, especially Steve Summers and Angela Hutchings for their work on the partnership arrangements and the work over the last 6 months by Mr Stephenson at the Interim Chief Executive for both authorities.

Cllr Hossack MOVED and Cllr Nolan SECONDED the recommendations within the report.

After a full discussion, Cllr Lewis MOVED and Cllr Aspinell SECONDED an amendment to the recommendation to include:

not more than six months from the date of the agreement there will be an evaluation and review of and these there are five points:-

1.          the performance and effectiveness of the partnership  

2.          the impact of the partnership upon the council's staff  

3.          impact of the partnership upon the council and its finances  

4.          whether or not the partnership is in the best interests of the council  

5.          to evaluate and review the partnership annually in accordance with paragraphs one to four above with a written report being  brought before full council for consideration by members  

Cllr Hossack, the MOVER of the motion, did not accept the amendment.

Members expressed concerns over lack of consultation with residents and the scrutiny of the partnership arrangement.

After a full discussion, a vote was taken by a show of hands and the motion was LOST.

Members returned to the SUBSTANTIVE MOTION.

Cllr Lewis MOVED and Cllr Aspinell SECONDED an amendment to the substantive motion to include finance pressures relating to resource.

Cllr Hossack, the MOVER of the motion, did not accept the amendment.

After clarification from Officers, Cllr Lewis WITHDREW his amendment.

A recorded vote was requested by Cllrs Aspinell, Hossack, Parker, Laplain and Mynott and was taken in accordance with Procedure Rule 9.5.

The members voted as follows:

FOR: Cllrs Barber, Bridge, J Cloke, Gelderbloem, Heard, Hones, Hossack, McLaren, Nolan, Parker, Pearson, Poppy, Pound, Reed, Russell, Sanders, Tanner, Tierney, Wagland, White and Wiles (21)

AGAINST: Cllrs Aspinell, Barrett, Dr Barrett, S Cloke, Cuthbert, Fryd, Fulcher, Haigh, Kendall, Laplain, Lewis, Mynott and Naylor (13)

ABSTAIN: (0)

It was RESOLVED.

R1.     To agree the Strategic Partnership between Rochford District Council and Brentwood Borough Council and that Jonathan Stephenson is the Joint Chief Executive for both councils with effect from 1 February 2022.

R2.     To approve the Heads of Terms set out in Appendix A.

R3.     That the Joint Chief Executive and the Monitoring Officer of each council, be given delegated authority, in consultation with the Leader of each council, to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding and s113 Agreement to give effect to the Partnership.

R4.   That the Joint Chief Executive be given delegated authority to undertake a restructure of Tiers 2 and 3 of the councils in consultation with the Leader of each council.

R5.     That a maximum of £300,000 (as set out in paragraph 6.7 of this report) be allocated from general reserves to fund the additional programme resource for the Transformation Unit.

R6.     That the Monitoring Officer be given delegated authority in consultation with the Constitution Working Group to make any required changes to the Constitution to give effect to the recommendations in this report.

R7.     That the MOU ands113 Agreement makes provision for robust Exit Arrangements and a member led Conflict Resolution Process.

R8.     That the s113 Agreement comes to the Review Committee (Rochford) and Audit & Scrunty (Brentwood) for scrutiny before it is executed.

R9.     That feedback from residents as to the impact of the partnership on services is regularly sought and reported upon.

R10.   That there be an early review of technology in Phase 2 of the Transformation Programme to identify threats and/or opportunities.

R11. That the MOU and/or document that underpins the Strategic Partnership makes clear that whilst the division of the savings achieved as part of the transformation process is to be agreed between the two councils, that the starting point for that discussion should be 50/50.