Minutes:
The Committee considered the undernoted report:
“1 Background Information
1.2 The Committee is reminded that the boundary extension means a 19% increase in residents to 334,000, a 17% increase in households to 141,595, an approximate 10% increase in businesses to 9,260, and the transfer of relevant assets, liabilities and staff from the other councils.
1.3 The aim is to ensure that on day one of the new council we can ensure a smooth transition by delivering services and providing facilities and programmes to meet constituents’ expectations while also identifying opportunities for service improvements and efficiency.
1.4 The preparation for boundary extension is an organisation-wide exercise and significant work has been taking place involving all parts of the organisation. Members had previously agreed a two-phase approach which is being taken forward by different Local Government Reform (LGR) work streams:
Phase 1: Assets and liabilities transfer; Staff transfer and Capital expenditure programme/estates strategy;
Phase 2: Statutory Transition Committee; Rates convergence Service convergence; Engagement between officers of BCC, LCC and CBC; Social Investment Fund
1.5 For service convergence and engagement, a three-phase approach has been developed which is supported by detailed project plans in each department:
1. Information-gathering and engagement with LCC, CBC and NDBC;
2. Service impact to enable submission of draft Revenue Estimates;
3. Transition planning and implementation – getting ready for the delivery of services in the new council area.
1.6 This work is being led by a Project Board which is chaired and attended by Directors and co-ordinated at an operational level by an inter-departmental Steering Panel. Issues are resolved and escalated to the Board as necessary. Regular reporting and monitoring is in place as is ongoing liaison and co-ordination with other internal LGR working groups.
1.8 Information gathering and engagement with LCC and CBC
At Director-level, a Joint Chief Executive meeting took place on 12th August to discuss issues relating to assets, staff, cemetery charges and communication and engagement. A Joint Directors’ meeting is planned for early September.
At operation-level, unit managers within each department have been engaging with their LCC and CBC and NDBC counterparts to determine how to extend their current services into the new areas. There are differences in service provision between the three council areas and the impacts of these are currently being worked on through the Revenue Estimates process.
1.9 Service Impact and draft Revenue Estimates
Departments are in the process of preparing revenue estimates on a converged service basis and this will form part of the rate setting process agreed by the Shadow Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in June 2014. Some service convergence issues will require consideration by the Transition Committee and these will be brought to a future meeting of the Transition Committee.
1.10 Transition planning and implementation
There are a number of other discreet areas of work currently under way, in conjunction with LCC and CBC and NDBC, to ensure a process of controlled transfer of assets and service delivery in the new areas. These include:
· Preparation of detailed Transition Plans for each service area
· Transfer of both physical and electronic data
· Transfer of staff, assets and liabilities
· Communication and engagement planning
· Completion of other preparatory work required before April 2015
· Agreeing the process for managing post-2015 bookings in the transferring sites
1.11 The project is on track. However there are a number of issues that will require Member consideration in due course (for example pricing policies, service standards etc).
2 Key Issues
2.1 A detailed process of due diligence is ongoing at a service level with officers in CBC, LCC and NDBC and there have already been some differences identified for example:
- scope of service provision (eg BCC provides a night-time noise service whereas there is no similar provision in CBC or LCC; BCC provides a free bulky waste collection)
- charging and pricing (eg community centres across the new area)
- service standards (eg there are some differences in the frequency of street cleaning between the areas)
- management arrangements (eg opening/operating hours for facilities)
- building maintenance standards (building surveys are being carried out to determine the condition of buildings, what maintenance is required and the potential financial impact)
2.2 Detailed work is now being undertaken to develop the associated financial impact of converging these differences and decisions will be required by Members on service provision, service standards and pricing and charging. A more detailed report will be brought to a future meeting of the Committee.
3 Resource Implications
3.1 Financial
The work being undertaken is to enable Shadow Council to determine the cost implications of providing services within the new boundary. Support costs for this work were agreed as part of the overall local government reform programme budget in November 2013.
3.2 Human Resources
The work being undertaken is to enable Shadow Council to determine the HR implications of providing services in the new boundary extension.
3.3Asset and Other Implications
The work being undertaken is to enable Shadow Council to determine the asset implications of providing services in the new boundary extension.”
The Head of Cleansing Services outlined the principal aspects of the report and answered a number of Members’ questions in relation thereto. He clarified issues relating to the age and condition of corporate buildings and works vehicles which would transfer to the Council from both the Lisburn and Castlereagh councils in April, 2014.
The Committee noted the information which had been provided.