Agenda Item No 7

The Vale of Glamorgan Council

Cabinet Meeting: 30 July, 2018 

Report of the Leader 

Strategic Collaborative Working Initiatives Update

Purpose of the Report

1. To provide an update for Cabinet on the Council's strategic collaborative working initiatives.

Recommendations

1. That Cabinet considers the strategic collaborative working initiatives that are in place to support the delivery and development of Council services and the Council's well-being outcomes and objectives.  
2. That this report be circulated by e-mail to all Vale of Glamorgan Council elected members and members of the Public Services Board.
3. That further updates are provided to Cabinet on a quarterly basis, and in accordance with the forward work programme.

Reasons for the Recommendations

1. To provide Cabinet with an overview of strategic collaborative working initiatives. 
2. To provide elected members and strategic partners with an overview of strategic collaborative working initiatives.
3. To provide regular updates for Cabinet.

Background

2. The Council has long recognised the value that collaborative working has in providing efficient and effective services to residents.
3. In recent years, collaborative working activity has increased in pace in response to the challenging financial climate and also in recognition of the value that working in partnership to share skills, expertise and experience can have in tackling increasingly complex issues. These activities also contribute to the Council's well-being outcomes and objectives.
4. This report provides Cabinet with an overview of the strategic collaborative working initiatives that are currently underway. These initiatives are regularly reported to the Council's Corporate Management Team to ensure maximum value is derived from this work and appropriate oversight is given to this area of Council business.               

Relevant Issues and Options

5. The Compendium (Appendix A) is maintained to enable oversight of the strategic level collaborative working activity the Council is involved in and provides a description of the various initiatives that are underway. The Compendium illustrates how each element of collaborative working aligns with the Council's Well-being Outcomes which are contained in the Corporate Plan. The Well-being of Future Generation (Wales) Act indicates that collaboration is one of the key ways of working to support sustainable development and meet the Council's duty under the Act. Collaboration is also one of the alternative models of service delivery which is considered as part of the Reshaping Services programme and it is envisaged that this approach will play a key role in the way services are delivered in the future.
6. Details of the partner organisations, governance arrangements and scrutiny details are provided for information, together with a progress update for each initiative. The compendium also identifies whether the initiative is part of a local, regional or national arrangement. This recognises that some collaborative working activity has been locally developed and some relate to regional or pan-Wales developments.
7. Cabinet last received an update on the compendium on 30th April 2018. Cabinet Members will note that the content of the compendium (Appendix A) is not an exhaustive list of all collaborative working that is underway in the Council. Many operational level collaborative efforts support both projects and 'business as usual' activity and these are monitored and managed within individual service areas.

Collaboration and Local Government Reform      

8. The Welsh Government Green Paper consultation document, Strengthening Local Government: Delivering for People was issued on 20th March 2018. The Green Paper sets out the Welsh Government's statement of intent about the future of Local Government in Wales. Specifying a desire to create larger, stronger authorities to secure the financial viability of Councils, ensure the sustainability of services and provide a platform for transformation and delivery and outcomes for people.
9. Cabinet considered and endorsed the Council's response to the Green Paper consultation at its meeting held on the 6th June 2018 and subsequently this response was submitted to Welsh Government.
10. In June 2018, the Cabinet Secretary announced that the proposals for mergers will now not progress. Further details of the way in which this agenda will progress will be produced by the Welsh Government in due course.

Resource Implications (Financial and Employment)

11. There are no financial implications arising as a direct result of this report.

Sustainability and Climate Change Implications

12. Collaborative working supports the delivery of Council services and is one of the five ways of working identified by the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act.  

Legal Implications (to Include Human Rights Implications)

13. There are no direct legal implications arising from this report.

Crime and Disorder Implications

14. There are no direct crime and disorder implications arising from this report. However individual initiatives contribute to this agenda as detailed in Appendix A. 

Equal Opportunities Implications (to include Welsh Language issues)

15. There are no direct equal opportunities implications associated with this report. However, these issues are considered as part of the establishment and ongoing operation of any collaborative working initiatives.

Corporate/Service Objectives

16. Collaborative working initiatives contribute towards the achievement of the Council's Well-being Outcomes contained in the Corporate Plan.

Policy Framework and Budget

17. This is a matter for Executive decision by Cabinet.  

Consultation (including Ward Member Consultation)

18. Due to the corporate nature of this report, no ward member consultation has been undertaken. The development of individual initiatives is subject to appropriate consultation activity.    

Relevant Scrutiny Committee

19. The relevant Committee for this report is Corporate Performance and Resources. Individual initiatives are subject to the Scrutiny of the Committees as identified in Appendix A. 

Background Papers

21st May 2018, Cabinet Report, Welsh Government Green Paper Consultation Document "Strengthening Local Government: Delivering for People"

Contact Officer

Tom Bowring, Operational Manager, Policy & Performance

Officers Consulted

Corporate Management Team

Responsible Officer:

Managing Director