Agenda and minutes

21.1     The Leader and Lead Member for Strategic Management and Economic Development approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2015.

Report by the Assistant Chief Executive

22.1     The Leader considered a report by the Assistant Chief Executive.

DECISIONS

22.2     The Leader RESOLVED to agree:

(1)        to the creation of a new Legal Services partnership arrangement with Brighton & Hove City Council, Surrey County Council and West Sussex County Council to be known as Orbis Public Law with effect from 1 April 2016;

(2)        to the establishment of a Joint Committee as the governing body for Orbis Public Law to oversee the discharge of the Council’s Legal Services function;

(3)        to approve the attached Terms of Reference for the Joint Committee and to appoint Councillor Elkin, Lead Member for Resources, to the Committee;

(4)        that a Business Case be developed for  an Alternative Business Structure, in the form of a Limited Company approved by the Solicitor Regulation Authority, and to delegate authority to the Chief Executive to establish such an Alternative Business Structure if they consider it appropriate; and

(5)        to delegate authority to the Chief Executive to take any action they consider appropriate to give effect to, or in consequence of the above recommendations, including (but not limited to), agreeing and entering into the Articles of Association, shareholder agreement and the Inter Authority Agreement.

Reasons

22.3     By working together, the four Councils will be able to realise savings in excess of those achievable in isolation, whilst still delivering a good service to our authorities.  The Vision for Orbis Public Law is for “a single, resilient, sustainable cost effective legal service with a public service ethos with an ability and ambition to grow”.

22.4     The Joint Committee is a relatively straightforward and familiar model to adopt.  Members would still have control over arrangements and staff would remain employed by their existing Council.  A Joint Committee would mirror arrangements for the wider Orbis partnership though some changes would be necessary to accommodate four partners rather than the three in Orbis. The partners will also enter into an Inter Authority Agreement which will set out the basis and terms of the partnership, and the arrangement for making officers available to each other.

Report by the Chief Executive

23.1     The Leader considered a report by the Chief Executive.

DECISIONS

23.2     The Leader RESOLVED to:

(1) amend the Cabinet portfolio as follows:

(2) amend the name of the Cabinet portfolio from ‘Learning and School Effectiveness’ to ‘Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability’ to reflect the scope of the revised portfolio.

Reasons

23.3     The Leader is responsible for appointing members of the Cabinet and determining the content of portfolios assigned to Cabinet Members. The Leader can review portfolio content at any point during the year to align portfolios in the interests of efficiency. The new portfolio name better describes the revised portfolio.