Agenda item

To respond to a request from the Audit & Governance Committee in June 2022 to consider the governance around the Surrey Forum and four associated county-wide, strategic partnership boards, once they had matured (Health & Wellbeing Board, One Surrey Growth Board, Greener Futures Board, and Thriving Communities Board).

Witnesses:

Nicola Kilvington - Director – Corporate Strategy and Policy

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    The Director – Corporate Strategy and Policy introduced the update report and noted that her team provided the secretariat function for the Surrey Forum and worked with the other teams who supported the four associated Strategic Partnership Boards. She noted that Health and Wellbeing Board was a long-standing statutory committee which followed specific governance arrangements whilst the Surrey Forum, One Surrey Growth Board, Greener Futures Board, and Thriving Communities Board were non-statutory informal bodies. She explained that one of the overarching purposes of the Forum and boards were that they were an engagement mechanism for the Leader and the Cabinet providing opportunities for the Council to share emerging strategies with partners and vice versa.

2.    A Committee member noted that the Forum and boards were a mystery to many Members, he asked whether the agendas, minutes and membership lists could be made available to all Members. The Director – Corporate Strategy and Policy explained that the Health and Wellbeing Board met in public and governance information was available on the Council’s website. She noted that the One Surrey Growth Board published information on its website including its membership. She would follow-up the Member’s request concerning the Forum and non-statutory boards, liaising with the chairs.

3.    The Chairman noted that he could not see what the Forum and non-statutory boards did as there were no terms of reference or action plans. The Director – Corporate Strategy and Policy noted that the Forum and each of the boards were set up differently, the Health and Wellbeing Board had a publicly available delivery plan via the Surrey Health and Well-being Strategy. The other boards did not have funding attached to them, they were set up on behalf of the Leader and the Cabinet and had a convening role discussing shared ambitions and engaging with partners, they were not delivery boards and so did not have action plans.

4.    The Vice-Chairman presumed that the value of the Forum and boards was their engagement with others and the dissemination of the Council’s message across organisations. The Director – Corporate Strategy and Policy noted that the Forum and boards were well-attended, and partners welcomed hearing the Council's strategies and vice versa. Many of the challenges faced by residents required cross organisational working, the Forum and boards strengthened relationships.

5.    A Committee member understood that when Forum and non-statutory boards were set up, they were reported to the Council through the Cabinet reports. She noted that Cabinet Member Briefings to Council frequently included updates from the Forum and boards; Cabinet Members could provide further information. The Director – Corporate Strategy and Policy confirmed that Cabinet Member Briefings referenced the Forum and boards, the strategies discussed by the Forum and boards were agreed by the Cabinet and Cabinet reports included an engagement section. She would check whether there had been a report to the Council on the Forum and non-statutory boards collectively.

6.    A Committee member highlighted that the Forum and boards had district and borough council representatives, twin-hatters would have access to further information on the input provided by their district or borough council.

RESOLVED:

1.    Recognised the contribution that the Strategic Partnership Boards (SPBs) make to partnership collaboration in pursuit of the Community Vision 2030.

2.    Acknowledged the critical role played by the County Council in convening the SPBs, in a spirit of place and system leadership.

3.    Acknowledged and supported the work of the SPBs and the achievements of all partners engaging with them.

Actions/further information to be provided:

1.    A10/23 - The Director – Corporate Strategy and Policy will liaise with the chairs of the Surrey Forum and the non-statutory boards: One Surrey Growth Board, Greener Futures Board, and Thriving Communities Board, asking whether the agendas, minutes and membership lists could be made available to all Members.

2.    A11/23 - The Director – Corporate Strategy and Policy will check whether there had been a report to the Council on the establishment of the Surrey Forum and non-statutory boards collectively.