Agenda item

Decision:

1.       Noted the Council’s interests in ‘Guildford Sportsground Management Company’, ‘Guildford Borough Council Holdings’ and ‘North Downs Housing Limited’ and the dissolution of 75 Ash Street Management Company Limited;

2.       Delegated authority to the Joint Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to appoint an additional Director to the Board of Guildford Sportsground Management Company as soon as possible and to replace Ian Doyle and Kelvin Mills with alternative appointments on behalf of the Council;

3.       Delegated authority to the Joint Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to appoint an additional Director to the Board of Guildford Borough Council Holdings Limited as soon as possible and to replace Ian Doyle with an alternative appointment on behalf of the Council;

4.       Noted that the Joint Chief Executive will encourage the Directors of Guildford Borough Council Holdings Ltd to make 4 additional appointments of Director to the Board of North Downs Housing Ltd, with one being a Guildford Borough Council officer, as soon as possible;

5.       Approved the draft work programme set out at paragraph 6.4 and delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to deviate from the work programme where appropriate, in consultation with the Leader of the Council;

6.       To receive a report in August 2024 from the Lead Officer for North Downs Housing Ltd recommending an options appraisal be undertaken to inform the future of the Company;

7.       To receive a report in November 2024 from the Lead Officer for Guildford Sportsground Management Company reviewing the objectives and arrangements for the Council’s Interest in that Company;

8.       To receive a report in November 2024 from the Lead Officer for Guildford Borough Council Holdings Ltd reviewing the objectives and arrangements for the future of Guildford Borough Council Holdings Ltd.

9.       To receive a report in November 2024 from the Council’s Statutory Officers starting the process of reviewing the governance arrangements and Council’s interests in Charities and Trusts.

Reason(s):

1.       To enable the Council to fulfil its duties in respect of the shareholder function competently, robustly and transparently.

2.       To enable the Council to be able to fulfil its duties in respect of best value and continuous improvement in respect of its interests in companies, and to keep under review the objectives, strategies and plans, and performance of each of its companies.      

Other options considered and rejected by the Committee:

None.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

Councillor Tom Hunt in respect of being the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Guildford Borough Council Holdings.

Councillor Angela Goodwin in respect of being a director sitting on the board of North downs Housing.

The council had various existing interests in Companies, whether by way of sole or joint ownership. The council exercised its shareholder function as an Executive function. The Leader had chosen to exercise the function via the Executive Shareholder and Trustee Committee.

The Committee considered a high-level report that set out the council’s existing shareholder interests in Companies and the work that was recommended be undertaken to review the aims and objectives, management arrangements, financial and performance monitoring of each. There were some matters of governance to be immediately addressed and others set out in a work programme as a number of reports to be delivered to the Committee in November. These reports would concern the council’s various interests in charities and companies, including an update on Guildford Borough Holdings Ltd which the Committee had previously resolved to wind up.

Councillors Goodwin and Hunt vacated the council chamber whilst the reported was discussed.

The Committee welcomed the report, noting it sought to improve oversight and clarity of the council’s governance arrangements in respect of the charities and commercial interests with which it was involved. The recommendations supported the corporate strategic priorities of a resilient and well run council. Consequently, the Committee,

RESOLVED:

1.       Noted the Council’s interests in ‘Guildford Sportsground Management Company’, ‘Guildford Borough Council Holdings’ and ‘North Downs Housing Limited’ and the dissolution of 75 Ash Street Management Company Limited;

2.       Delegated authority to the Joint Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to appoint an additional Director to the Board of Guildford Sportsground Management Company as soon as possible and to replace Ian Doyle and Kelvin Mills with alternative appointments on behalf of the Council;

3.       Delegated authority to the Joint Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to appoint an additional Director to the Board of Guildford Borough Council Holdings Limited as soon as possible and to replace Ian Doyle with an alternative appointment on behalf of the Council;

4.       Noted that the Joint Chief Executive will encourage the Directors of Guildford Borough Council Holdings Ltd to make 4 additional appointments of Director to the Board of North Downs Housing Ltd, with one being a Guildford Borough Council officer, as soon as possible;

5.       Approved the draft work programme set out at paragraph 6.4 and delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to deviate from the work programme where appropriate, in consultation with the Leader of the Council;

6.       To receive a report in August 2024 from the Lead Officer for North Downs Housing Ltd recommending an options appraisal be undertaken to inform the future of the Company;

7.       To receive a report in November 2024 from the Lead Officer for Guildford Sportsground Management Company reviewing the objectives and arrangements for the Council’s Interest in that Company;

8.       To receive a report in November 2024 from the Lead Officer for Guildford Borough Council Holdings Ltd reviewing the objectives and arrangements for the future of Guildford Borough Council Holdings Ltd.

9.       To receive a report in November 2024 from the Council’s Statutory Officers starting the process of reviewing the governance arrangements and Council’s interests in Charities and Trusts.

Reason(s):

1.       To enable the Council to fulfil its duties in respect of the shareholder function competently, robustly and transparently.

2.       To enable the Council to be able to fulfil its duties in respect of best value and continuous improvement in respect of its interests in companies, and to keep under review the objectives, strategies and plans, and performance of each of its companies.