Agenda item

The Joint Executive Advisory Board (JEAB) received a presentation from the Strategy and Communications Manager in respect of the above mandate.  The presentation introduced the mandate and explained the following aspects of it:

·             Strategy

·             Options evaluation

·             Considerations

·             Resources

·             Issues, assumptions and risks

·             Dependencies, constraints and opportunities

·             Reviewer list

A Late Sheet containing related supplementary information, which consisted of the resolutions and recommendations of the Executive of Waverley Borough Council (WBC) to its full Council meeting on 6 July 2021, had been circulated.  The additional information sought by WBC in resolution (1) would be shared with this Council.

The Leader of the Council provided some additional background information and invited the JEAB’s comments regarding the mandate.

The following points for forwarding to this Council’s Executive arose from related questions, comments and discussion:

1.           Support was expressed for mandate option 4 to establish a single corporate management team with one chief executive as a first step towards progressing to the full integration of the officer teams of both councils into one shared officer resource working for two separate democratic councils.  This would lead to the preparation of a series of business cases relating to the possible integration of individual service areas commencing where compatibility between the authorities was greatest, such as similar back office functions.

2.           There was no wish to merge the authorities fully at this stage and each would remain as a separate legal identity with individual decision-making powers.

3.           It was considered important for the Council to address its funding deficit in a proactive manner in order to avoid any financial controls or service reductions being imposed on it, such as a move to a single county-wide unitary authority which was not favoured.

4.           Councillors felt that frontline services should be protected to meet the needs of residents.  Demand for services had increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and was expected to continue to do so as future residential developments stemming from the Local Plan led to local population growth.  WBC was in a similar position regarding its recently adopted Local Plan.

5.           Issues with the volume of planning applications being submitted were highlighted and it was questioned whether some related fees could be raised where possible to increase income towards offsetting the budget deficit.

6.           In terms of risks associated with collaboration, concerns were raised regarding the short term disruption to Council services and officers, public perception of Council services, integration of ICT systems, lack of local knowledge, loss of continuity of officer experience and integration in the Guildford senior management team, and failure to achieve efficiencies and projected savings.

7.           The Local Government Boundary Commission for England and the Boundary Commission for England reviews were not expected to impact on a proposed collaboration between the two councils as the former review concerned warding patterns within the Borough and the latter was a parliamentary review of the constituency boundaries.

8.           Although WBC had not been through a rationalising restructure such as Future Guildford, there was confidence that should such a measure be pursued, it could be managed within a collaboration scenario.  Whilst it was accepted that the two councils had varying strengths and weaknesses, it was felt that these would counter-balance each other and lead to overall improved efficiencies and savings collectively.

The Leader of the Council offered to make further detailed information available to JEAB members if required to assist them with their deliberations leading up to the full Council meeting on 6 July 2021 when this matter would be determined.