Issue - meetings

(a)       That the progress made by North Wales as a progressive region and by Flintshire as a progressive Council be noted: and

(b)       That a review of governance for principal collaborations be carried out jointly by the Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee, the Audit Committee, and the Community Profile & Partnerships Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

The Chief Executive introduced a report to inform the Committee of the current regional collaboration projects and to invite members to contribute to a review of governance and reporting arrangements to be carried out by the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Audit Committees.

                        The Chief Executive advised that collaboration projects ranged in type and scale and referred to the type, purpose, benefits, progress, performance and governance arrangements for each collaboration as detailed in the report.  He explained that a summary of all the principal collaboration projects within the region where Flintshire was a partner was attached to the report. 

                        The Chairman invited Members to raise questions.

                        Councillor D.I. Mackie expressed the need for good control of collaboration arrangements and raised concerns around the submission of remote reports and whether they would address the interests and implications for the Authority sufficiently.  The Chief Executive responded to the points made and gave an assurance of the protocols introduced to address new proposed principal collaboration, principal collaboration under development, and any adopted and implemented principal collaboration.

Councillor R.J.T. Guest also expressed concerns around the progress and scrutiny arrangements for collaborative working.  He referred to the decision at the meeting of Cabinet on 21 May 2013 that the Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the Audit Committee be invited to review governance and performance reporting arrangements for principal collaborations, and suggested that the Community Profile and Partnerships Overview & Scrutiny Committee should also be invited to join the review.  The proposal was agreed by Members.

Councillor C.A. Thomas referred to the arrangements for schools under Gwasanaeth Effeithiolrwydd a Gwella Ysgolion Rhanbarthol Gogledd Cymru (GWeR)  and asked if schools were being contacted to see how they were feeling about it.  She commented that schools may experience remoteness about the new arrangements.  The Chief Executive commented on the operational structure in place to support and respond to the changing needs of schools.

The Chief Executive responded to Members’ questions, following which the Member Engagement Manager commented that the Committee would become an integral part of the consultation on governance for collaborative working.

RECOMMENDATIONS

 (a)      That the progress made by North Wales as a progressive region and by Flintshire as a progressive Council be noted: and

(b)       That a review of governance for principal collaborations be carried out jointly by the Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee, the Audit Committee, and the Community Profile & Partnerships Overview & Scrutiny Committee.