Purpose of the item: To agree
the minutes of the Resources and Performance Select Committee held
on 8 December 2023 as a true and accurate record of
proceedings.
The
minutes of the Resources and Performance Select Committee held on 8
December 2023 were formally agreed as a true and accurate record of
the meeting.
48/24
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
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Purpose of the item: All
Members present are required to declare, at this point in the
meeting or as soon as possible thereafter:
I.
Any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or
II.
Other interests arising under the Code of Conduct in respect of any
item(s) of business being considered at this meeting.
NOTES:
·
Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item
where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest.
·
As well as an interest of the Member, this includes any interest,
of which the Member is aware, that relates to the Member’s
spouse or civil partner (or any person with whom the Member is
living as a spouse or civil partner).
·
Members with a significant personal interest may participate in the
discussion and vote on that matter unless that interest could be
reasonably regarded as prejudicial.
Purpose of the
item:To learn lessons with respect to
off-boarding by reviewing the process, in particular timing and
communication, and the consequences for MATs and the
Council.
David Lewis, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources
Anna
D’Alessandro, Director of Finance Corporate and Commercial
(Interim s151)
Tom
Holmwood, Head of HR Operations
Key points
raised during the discussion:
A
Member asked what background information and analysis the Cabinet
decision to stop providing the payroll service to Multi-Academy
Trusts (MATs) and academies was based on. The Cabinet Member for
Finance and Resources explained that the Council was in the process
of transitioning from SAP to Unit4 and there was awareness of the
challenges. The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems were
based on a set of standard processes which were rolled out to all
users including MATs. A gradual move
away from the payroll service by the MATs had already started over
the previous 18 months. MATs were independent businesses that had
no obligation to use the Council’s payroll service. An Accent
survey, carried out in 2022 to understand MATs’ views of
SCC’s payroll service, contributed to the decision. Three
different options were prepared to determine how the Council would
proceed; continue to deliver a payroll service with
investment;continue the payroll service only for maintained
schools; deliver corporate service only. It was decided to continue
the payroll service only for maintained schools and MATs were given
more than the statutory notice of termination of the service. The
Cabinet Member believed that transition of MATs from the
Council’s payroll service to independent services went well,
and the necessary support was provided.
The
Director of Finance Corporate and Commercial (Interim s151)
reiterated that the transition went smoothly. The 2022 survey
portrayed a deterioration in the payroll service provided to MATs
and set off a chain of events. By the time the Cabinet report was
delivered, there was already a significant reduction in the income
from MATs and Academies and the assumption was that this would
continue. Financial implications were mapped against a set of
strategic criteria such as reputational impact and customer
service.
The
Member asked specifically what budget implications were
considered.The Director of Finance Corporate and Commercial
(Interim s151) explained that an options appraisal went to Cabinet,
with around eight options reduced to three viable options. To
continue providing the payroll service to MATs required a
£600,000 investment of one-off project costs and ongoing
costs to set up and maintain the MATs. To get the service fit for
purpose, there was a request for another two full-time equivalent
administrator posts, costing £80,000 on an ongoing basis. The
budget was also in an overspend position. The income budgeted from
the MATs was £1.2 million, on a declining trajectory. When
the options were taken to Cabinet, the Council had already received
notice of £400,000 loss of income, and an assumption of
another £400,000 loss was made, forecasting an ongoing
deficit at the end of 2024/25.
A
Member asked why only 30% of Academies and MATs were satisfied with
the service. The Director of Finance Corporate and Commercial
(Interim s151) explained it was due to several reasons such as a
lack ...
view the full minutes text for item 50/24
Purpose of the item: To
receive an update on the progress made in response to the
recommendations made by the Resources and Performance Select
Committee in June 2023 relating to equality, diversity and
inclusion.
Mark
Nuti, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, and Public Health
(EDI Lead Member)
Natalie Bramhall, Cabinet Member for Land and
Property
Michael Smith, Chief of Staff to Chief Executive, and EDI
Lead
Nikki Parkhill, Head of Equality, Diversity and
Inclusion
Shella Smith, Director for People and Change
Sarah Richardson, Assistant Director - People Strategy &
Organisational Development
Simon Crowther, Director for Land and Property
Glenn Woodhead, Assistant Director for Workplace &
Facilities
Clare Burgess, Sight for Surrey Chief Executive
Key points
raised during the discussion:
The
Chairman asked how exactly they would work with partner
organisations, residents, and the Council workforce to establish a
framework for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). The Head of
EDI explained that it was related to the 2030 vision of ensuring
that no one was left behind. The EDI team was currently developing
an evidence base to understand which residents, and who in the
Council’s workforce was being left behind and why. There was
a good understanding of geographical communities and priority
places, but a lack of understanding around areas such as identity,
disability, gender, and sexual orientation. The evidence base would
provide a starting point to understanding these areas. It was known
that partner organisations, such as voluntary and statutory sector
organisations, were interested in this piece of work, and the EDI
team would be working with them to develop a framework/strategy in
how to work together to ensure there was that right support with
the right timeliness. Things already in place would be identified
in order to ensure that resources would be prioritised to the right
place.
The
Chairman asked what external organisations were represented in the
accessibility forum. The Head of EDI explained this was an internal
forum that brought together trade union representatives and
representatives from the Council’s staff network. The Head of
EDI highlighted the Disability Partnership Group which had a range
of stakeholders such as Sight for Surrey, the Coalition of Disabled
People and Healthwatch.
In
reference to the Committee’s June 2023 recommendation on
using the voluntary, community and faith sector to get people with
disabilities work-ready, the Chairman noted it was not clear who
was being worked with to fulfil this. The Head of EDI explained
there was a list of organisations that were delivering
work-readiness training, funded by the Council, which could be
shared with the Committee. A Department of Work and Pensions’
2-year funded programme for community-based organisations provided
employment support for those with health conditions and
disabilities. Part of the EDI work would look at the opportunities
available at the Council. There had been early conversations to try
to identify work experience, supported internships and other paid
roles across the organisation, where new approaches could be tried
to give people the opportunity to see what it was like to work at
the Council, and looking at the support alongside this with the
skills development piece. The Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing
and Public Health added that the Council had recently secured
funding as one of ...
view the full minutes text for item 51/24
Purpose of the item: For the
Select Committee to review the attached Forward Work Programme and
Recommendation Tracker, making suggestions for additions or
amendments as appropriate.
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