Issue - meetings

Councillor Mallett, as Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board attended to present the recommendations within the Minutes of the meeting held on 15^th January 2018.  He explained that these had arisen from the work of the Finance and Budget Working Group.  The initial work it had carried out in respect of the cost allocation of Shared Services had included a retrospective view of work the senior management team carried out at each Council together with a more detailed “time and motion” exercise.  It came to light from this information that specific issues at Redditch had led to significant additional time being spent by officers on that work, hence the Working Group’s first recommendation.  This then led into the Working Group’s second recommendation that a review of the Management Team re-charge be carried out.

The Executive Director, Finance and Resources confirmed that it was anticipated that the specific issues referred to would be concluded shortly.  The Leader confirmed that, at one of his regular meetings with the Leader of Redditch Borough Council, he would discuss the second recommendation.

In respect of the minutes, Councillor Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Strategic Housing, asked for clarification in respect of the report referred to under the Transport Planning item and it was confirmed that the Strategic Housing and Conservation Manager would attend the March meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Board with an outline of how he envisaged the report would like, in order to give Members an opportunity to make any changes they saw necessary before it was presented to Cabinet and Council in due course.

RESOLVED:

a)    that Redditch Borough Council refund Bromsgrove District Council for the additional officer time spent due to the additional management time being spent on housing services in Redditch;

b)    that a review of the Management Team re-charge between the two councils be carried out in light of the information received by the Finance and Budget Working Group; and

c)    that the Minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting held on 15^th January 2018 be noted.