Agenda item

O&S(E) 18     

(a) Partnership Review

The Committee considered a report that set out the summary outcomes from the work of the Partnership Task and Finish Group.

In so doing, reference was made to:

(a)  the importance of the CAB.  A number of Members highlighted the key role played by the CAB and made the point that they would be strongly against the Council reducing its annual financial contribution to this partner;

(b)  the local Liaison Groups related to Okehampton and Tavistock.  In making reference to the lack of clarity around the local Liaison Groups, the Committee recognised that this was an area of the review that was still to be concluded;

(c)  providing regular feedback.  The Committee emphasised the comments raised by the Task and Finish Group whereby partners and outside bodies should be reminded and strongly encouraged to provide regular feedback to the Council;

(d)  the partnership register.  As a live and evolving document, the importance of the partnership register being kept up to date and regularly monitored was highlighted;

(e)  the business plans to be submitted by the CAB and CVS.  In light of the expectations already placed upon them by the task and finish group, some Members felt that the production of a business plan was an unnecessary and onerous expectation on the CAB and CVS.  In contrast, other Members felt that it was an important piece of work to establish the value for money that the Council was receiving and did not feel it would need to be an extensive piece of work.  In addition, depending on the content of the business plan, officers may feel that there was no need for CAB or CVS representatives to attend the special meeting at which this piece of work would be presented to the Committee.

In conclusion, a number of Members wished to put on record their gratitude for the work undertaken by the Task and Finish Group and lead officers in this respect.

It was then:

RECOMMENDED

That the Hub Committee RECOMMEND to Council that:-

1.    the Partnership Policy (as outlined at Appendix 1 of the presented agenda report) and Guidance (as outlined at Appendix 2 of the presented agenda report) be adopted;

2.    the Partnership Register (as outlined at Appendix 3 of the presented agenda report) be adopted;

3.    the review and recommendations of the Task and Finish Group (as outlined at Appendix 4 of the presented agenda report) be agreed;

4.    Partnerships be retained at current financial levels for 2017/18, subject to any financial modifications set out in Appendix 4 of the presented agenda report and/or any changes required pursuant to recommendation 5 below;

5.    those significant partners identified in paragraph 3.7 (CAB and CVS) be invited to submit a business plan to the Overview & Scrutiny (External) Committee before the end of September 2016 setting out:

o   What they would spend the funding on;

o   How it will benefit residents;

o   Links to Council’s Strategic Priorities;

o   What value for money it will provide; and

o   What success measures they would use.

6.    new (or updated) partnership agreements be established for 2017/18 onwards establishing clear outcomes relating to Our Plan themes and, where appropriate, the Locality work to ensure co-ordinated delivery for communities; and

7.    alongside this, a further financial and governance review be undertaken to identify the most appropriate delivery options aligned to financial and procurement procedures once a decision on the Local Authority Controlled Company is confirmed.