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.