Agenda item

Agreement will be sought from the committee to begin the process  of establishing a new shared economic development service for Haringey and Waltham Forest.

The report considered by the Committee sought approval for establishing a new Shared Economic Development Service for Haringey and Waltham Forest including the 30 day consultation period with staff and their Trades Unions.  The outline service description and proposed organisational chart and ring fenced recruitment schedule were appended to the report for the Committee’s consideration.  This was potentially the first shared service with Waltham forest to begin to be established. Work areas to be shared were programme management team and core economic development with a reconfigured Haringey Guarantee Delivery Team. There would be a total of 17 posts in the new shared service with additional delivery and programme management posts to be created if and when sub contracts for local delivery of the Work Programme were secured. Delivery Team and  Programme Officers, and the Film Officer posts would be  Haringey posts with Head of Economic Development, Economic Development Manager, Economic Development Officers and Economic Development Support Officer being shared service posts open to  officers from Haringey and Waltham Forest.

The Committee enquired about the total cost  of this shared service and what amounts each borough would be contributing to the cost of the service.   There was further discussion on the work of the  programme delivery team who had been successful in  generating funding for Haringey related programmes and clarification was sought  how they would work on Waltham Forest projects. It was reported that there were a lesser number  of delivery  projects in Waltham  Forest. It was further estimated that  there would be £500k  allocated for Haringey delivery programmes  with £340k expenditure on staff. In terms of the Haringey Guarantee programme, there would be additional programme management  posts created if the shared service was successful in obtaining sub contracts for local delivery from the Government’s Work Programme scheme.  It was noted that the organisation of the Haringey Work Guarantee programme would remain in Haringey.  The Committee felt that it would  be useful to have an understanding of  counterpart member views on this  shared service and on  its distribution of responsibilities to understand  if they were in favour of them or had concerns. It was noted that there had been close working  between  Waltham Forest Council and the Councils HESP team in compiling these proposals with both Council Cabinets agreeing to  the development of this shared service.

The members of the Committee were in  agreement that the final report to Committee which would be considered on the 19^th May would need to contain information on :

• Cost of the service  and  likely future cost
• The division of funding to the shared service and which part of the service each borough’s funding will contribute to
• The percentage of the work completed by the Shared Service for Waltham Forest Council.
• Clarification on who the  members of staff in the shared service will ultimately be employed by.
• The benefits of being a partner in this shared service

The  discussion indicated a strong need for a set of principle information in  reports on shared services which would respond to  points such as those raised above. The Chair agreed to discuss this further with the Chief Executive.

RESOLVED

1. That the ongoing work on developing  the new shared service including the reduced Haringey Guarantee Delivery , Programme management and core Economic Development service teams be agreed.

2. That due regard be given to the authority’s public sector equality duties in relation to the agreement of the recommendation.

3. Following the completion of consultation the final proposals for this shared service be the subject of a further report to the Committee on the 19^th May 2011.