Decision details

The Committee considered a report on the Orbis Public Law partnership finances introduced by Susan Smyth.

Witnesses:

Philip Baker, Assistant Chief Executive (ESCC ) and Interim Head of Orbis Public Law 

Abraham Ghebre-Ghiorgis, Executive Lead Officer, Strategy Governance and Law (BHCC)

Tony Kershaw, Director of Law and Assurance (WSCC)

Rachel Crossley, Director of Strategy Commissioning (SCC) 

Susan Smyth, Head of Strategic Finance (OPL)

Key Points:

1)    Susan Smyth outlined the underspend of £1m, which is in part attributable to a staffing underspend.  The officers set out how they were addressing recruitment issues.

2)    The Committee remarked on the challenges posed by departmental spending on legal advice beyond the control of OPL, and the need for a collective responsibility within authorities to address spending on external legal advice.  

3)    Susan discussed that the plan is that the Agreed Contribution Ratio (ACR) will move in accordance to the work done, measured through time recording data.  This will be presented at the next meeting, 

4)    Susan Smyth set out the objectives for the final shadow budget year of having all the OPL Finance resources in one team, the VAT registration and implications and support for the income generation strategy.  The OPL Finance team will produce a proposed budget for 2019/20 for the Joint Committee to consider and each authority to authorise.  

RESOLUTIONS

The Joint Committee RESOLVED to:

1. Note the shadow operating budget variance of £1.0m for 2017/18 due to staffing underspends.

2. Note a total spend on external legal costs of £5.9m.  This includes spend on court fees, counsel, expert witnesses as well as external legal advice, and therefore not all this spend is addressable by OPL.  

3. Note changes to the notional contributions to the shadow operating budget as a result of differences between the partners in expectation for savings and changes in headcount.