Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet approve the continued development of the Finance Services partnership with Tandridge DC through the development and delivery of the Tandridge Finance Transformation Programme.

2.    That Cabinet approve the commitment of the necessary SCC officer time to support the successful delivery of the TFT plan within TDC.

3.    That Cabinet approve the development of a Joint Working Agreement with TDC and delegate its final approval to the Executive Director, Resources, subject to the satisfactory negotiation of the details of the working arrangements.

Reason for Decisions:

TDC faces challenges both in terms of needing to improve its financial health and the capacity and capability of the finance function. SCC has been providing support to the TDC finance function since August 2020 during which time formative progress has been made. There is now a need to broaden the scope of the work to ensure that the changes identified as necessary (both within the TDC finance function and more widely across TDC) can be delivered.

A transformation plan (‘TFT’) has been developed which identifies a new operating model for the TDC finance function and includes a business case for the necessary investment to support the delivery of the TFT plan. This plan will involve the commitment of officer time from SCC to ensure its successful delivery. A Joint Working Agreement will provide the formal legal basis for the governance of the partnership and clarify the expectations of both Parties.

The development of the finance partnership with TDC supports the delivery of one of the SCC key objectives which is to develop Stronger Partnerships with other public services.

The successful delivery of the TFT plan will assist TDC to emerge with a stronger underlying financial position and a finance function which is capable of sustaining this over the longer term.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Resources and Performance Select Committee]

The Leader introduced the report explaining that the council had been providing support to Tandridge District Council (TDC) through the part-time secondment of its Director of Corporate Finance to act as the Tandridge s151 officer, as well as a full-time secondment of a finance business partner post since August 2020. The report would be asking the Cabinet to continue support for the finance partnership with TDC, the TFT Plan and the resources necessary from SCC officers to support its successful delivery within TDC. The support provided by the council has been welcomed by TDC.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources explained that the council was willing to support partners and TDC had been grateful for the councils help.

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet approve the continued development of the Finance Services partnership with Tandridge DC through the development and delivery of the Tandridge Finance Transformation Programme.

2.    That Cabinet approve the commitment of the necessary SCC officer time to support the successful delivery of the TFT plan within TDC.

3.    That Cabinet approve the development of a Joint Working Agreement with TDC and delegate its final approval to the Executive Director, Resources, subject to the satisfactory negotiation of the details of the working arrangements.

Reason for Decisions:

TDC faces challenges both in terms of needing to improve its financial health and the capacity and capability of the finance function. SCC has been providing support to the TDC finance function since August 2020 during which time formative progress has been made. There is now a need to broaden the scope of the work to ensure that the changes identified as necessary (both within the TDC finance function and more widely across TDC) can be delivered.

A transformation plan (‘TFT’) has been developed which identifies a new operating model for the TDC finance function and includes a business case for the necessary investment to support the delivery of the TFT plan. This plan will involve the commitment of officer time from SCC to ensure its successful delivery. A Joint Working Agreement will provide the formal legal basis for the governance of the partnership and clarify the expectations of both Parties.

The development of the finance partnership with TDC supports the delivery of one of the SCC key objectives which is to develop Stronger Partnerships with other public services.

The successful delivery of the TFT plan will assist TDC to emerge with a stronger underlying financial position and a finance function which is capable of sustaining this over the longer term.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Resources and Performance Select Committee]