Agenda and minutes
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Contact: Pauline Ross Karen Firth
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Apologies for absence Minutes: An apology for absence was received from Councillor P. Whittaker. |
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Declarations of Interest Minutes: No declarations of interest were received. |
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Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the Worcestershire Shared Service Joint Committee held on 11th June 2010 were submitted.
RESOLVED that the minutes be approved as a correct record. |
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Private Water Supply Fees and Charges Minutes: The Committee considered a report detailing The Private Water Supplies Regulations 2009 that came into force on 1st January 2010 and would apply to all private water supplies intended for human consumption including private distribution systems. The Regulations imposed new monitoring duties and required local authorities to carry out a risk assessment on areas of supply. The new Regulations aimed to protect public health and required each supply to undergo a risk assessment. Local authorities would have the powers to charge for the services provided. The Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services responded to Members’ questions regarding residents being made aware of the new Regulations and the proposed charges and whether the proposed charges had been based on full cost recovery.
RECOMMENDEDthat the Council for each Member Authority adopts the proposed fees and charges for private water supplies as follows:-
Risk Assessment £40 per hour (up to £500 maximum)
Investigation (each investigation) £40 per hour (up to £100 maximum)
Granting an Authorisation £100 maximum
Sampling (each visit) £100 maximum
Analysing a sample - taken under regulation 10 £ 25 maximum (small supplies)
- taken during check £100 maximum monitoring
- taken during audit £500 maximum monitoring
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Regulatory Services Budget 2010 / 2011 Additional documents: Minutes: The Executive Director, Finance & Corporate Resources, Bromsgrove District Council and Redditch Borough Council apologised to Members for the late submission of the Regulatory Services Budget 2010 / 2011 report to the Committee.
The Committee considered a report on the revised Regulatory Services Budget for 2010 / 2011. The Worcestershire Shared Services Partnership Agreement agreed on 1st June 2010 had included a clause within the Financial Arrangements to approve a final budget for the period June 2010 to 31st March 2011. The Executive Director, Finance and Resources responded to questions from Members regarding the estimations that had been made and noted Members’ requests that future reports contained further detailed information for each individual Member Authority.
RESOLVED that the Regulatory Services Budget for 2010 / 2011 be approved. |
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Worcestershire Regulatory Services Performance Summary Minutes: The Committee considered a report on the current levels of performance as requested at the meeting of the Joint Committee held on 11th June 2010. The Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services informed Members that performance was going well and that all Member Authorities performance would be monitored during fortnightly meetings where any issues would be raised and addressed. The Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services responded to Members’ questions regarding performance measures and informed Members that currently very few performance measures were consistent across the County but it was anticipated that from April 2011 Worcestershire Regulatory Services would have a single service plan, developed and agreed by the Committee, with agreed outcomes and performance measures that would be reported to the Committee on a regular basis.
The Chairman thanked officers and staff involved in the Worcestershire Regulatory Shared Services for their hard work.
RESOLVED: (a) that The Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services be tasked to provide Committee Members with their individual authorities current performance measures; and (b) that the performance in relation to the work carried out by Worcestershire Regulatory Services on behalf of each Member Authority be noted. |
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Project Plan Update, including Lessons Learnt - Ian Edwards Additional documents: Minutes: Mr. I. Edwards, Regulatory Services Project Manager provided Members with a summary of progress against plans for the period 11th June to 9th September 2010. He informed Members that a staff structure was currently out for consultation until the 16th September 2010. The proposed structure had made best use of the opportunity to bring together Environmental Health, Licensing and Trading Standards to create a workforce that would be customer focused and flexible.
The Regulatory Services Project Manager informed the Committee of the risk to the original stage two timescales following the adoption of the Systems Thinking transformation approach. He responded to Members’ concerns and highlighted that delays would not impact on the budget or the project deadline.
The Executive Director, Finance & Corporate Resources, Bromsgrove District Council and Redditch Borough Council responded to questions from Members regarding ICT resources and informed Members that as the Section 151 officer she would be looking to see what ICT resources could be given by the Host Authority. Following further discussion it was
RESOLVED: (a) that Joint Committee Members inform their respective authorities of: (i) the delays to the original stage two timescales; (ii) that the delays would not impact on the budget or deadline; and (b) that the performance in relation to the work carried out by the Worcestershire Regulatory Services on behalf of each Member Authority be noted. |
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Worcestershire Regulatory Services - Aims and Objectives Minutes: The Committee considered a report on the aims and objectives of the Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS). The Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services introduced the report. The report aspired to set out the strategic aims and objectives for the single service to go forward. A workshop involving officers from all Regulatory Services had been convened to consider the direction of the Service in performing its various functions. The purpose being to identify the high level aims that the service was set up to deliver. Within the scope of the Service the aims were identified as follows:
§ To protect public health and safety § To minimise crime and disorder § To support consumers, businesses and economic development § To protect the environment and tackle the effects of climate change § To provide a great service that our customers want
RESOLVEDthat the aims and objectives of Worcestershire Regulatory Services as identified and detailed above be endorsed. |
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Minutes: The Committee considered a report on the need to move towards a more flexible approach to working practices for appropriate field staff and to look at local service delivery and the best optimum to deliver an efficient service. The Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services introduced the report and informed Members that in order to achieve this, staff would be encouraged to work from home or using touchdown facilities around the County. This would avoid the necessity to retain all the existing offices currently being under-utilised. The Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services responded to Members’ questions regarding the need to ensure officers availability and that good customer relations were maintained with officers being contactable. Following further discussion it was
RESOLVED: (a) that Members discuss with their respective authorities the need to mitigate accommodation costs to Worcestershire Regulatory Services as the Service seeks to liberate existing office accommodation space; and (b) that the actions and the approach taken to progress Worcestershire Regulatory Services in terms of flexible working practices and accommodation needs be noted and endorsed. |
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Branding - Verbal Update from Steve Jorden Minutes: The Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services provided the Committee with brief details regards the current branding used for Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) which included an orange and black logo with the strap line ‘supporting and protecting you’. An official launch of the service would take place. |
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Worcestershire Regulatory Shared Services - HUB Visits Minutes: The Vice-Chairman introduced this item and expressed the view that a face to face visit to a Hub centre may prove useful. The Worcestershire Hub network could seem complex especially in its relationship to shared services and a visit in person to the Worcestershire Hub network would provide an opportunity for Members to find out more about the role of the Worcestershire Hub and what it would provide for Worcestershire Regulatory Shared Services (WRSS). |
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Income and Recharges within Worcestershire Regulatory Services Minutes: Consideration of this item was deferred. |
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Next Meeting Minutes: Members considered the date and time of the next meeting. Following discussion the Executive Director, Finance & Corporate Resources, Bromsgrove District Council and Redditch Borough Council highlighted that the Committee had to inform Member Authorities by no later than the 1st December in any year the amounts of their proposed contributions to the Joint Committee’s budget.
Members also considered the agreed quorum for meetings and
concerns were expressed regarding the requirement that one Member
from each Member Authority had to be present. The Legal Services
Manager
RESOLVED that the next meeting of the Joint Committee be held on Thursday 25th November 2010 at 4:00pm the Council Chamber, Bromsgrove District Council. |
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