Purpose

To review resourcing capacity in respect of a
potential growth bid.

Content

Decision:

Executive approved:

1.           
The Joint Head of Paid Service’s proposal to create a role of
Joint Executive Head / Assistant Director - Legal as set out in
para 15.1 of the report submitted to the Executive;

2.           
The Joint Head of Paid Service’s proposal to create a role of
Joint Executive Head / Assistant Director - Democracy &
Governance as set out in para 15.1 of the report;

3.           
The Joint Head of Paid Service’s proposal to create a Joint
Executive Advisory and Support team as set out in para 6.4 of the
report to include two new posts of Joint Executive Advisory and
Support Manager and Joint Executive Advisor.   The Joint Executive Advisory and Support
Manager would provide advisory support as well as management of the
existing Joint Executive support team;

4.           
The Head of Paid Service’s proposal to create a new post of
Joint Head of Governance as set out in para 15.2 of the
report;

5.           
The Head of Paid Service’s proposal to amend the existing
three Waverley Borough Council posts of Senior Governance Officer,
Senior Corporate Governance Lawyer and Monitoring Officer assistant
to be joint roles operating across Waverley and Guildford
Councils;

6.           
To delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to amend the
current inter-authority agreement between Guildford Borough Council
and Waverley Borough Council to include the new joint roles as set
out in the report.

7.           
An additional one-off cost of £90,605 to Guildford Borough
Council which is a 50% contribution towards the costs of two
Interim Governance Officers for 6 months;
Executive noted:

8.           
That the implications of these proposals had been considered in the
context of restructures already concluded in GBC and WBC Legal
Services and work about to commence in Waverley Democratic
Services.
Executive approved and recommended to Full
Council meeting on 17 June 2024:

9.           
To approve the increase to the Legal & Democratic Services
salary budget for 2024/25 of £357,318 as set out in para 10.6
of the report;

10.      
To approve the making of all necessary arrangements for the
discharge of functions through joint arrangements between Waverley
Borough Council and Guildford Borough Council, by officers of
Waverley Borough Council, as set out in this report, and for such
arrangements to be included in the inter-authority agreement in
accordance with s113 Local Government Act 1972.
Reasons:

1.       
To respond to the Head of Paid Services’
recent changes to his staff structure at Chief Officer
level, effective 1 March 2024, which made the previous Joint
Executive Head of Legal & Democratic Services the Joint
Strategic Director of Legal & Democratic Services and the
previous Joint Executive Head of Finance, the Joint Strategic
Director of Finance.  Whilst this had
strengthened the Corporate Management Board and ensured that the
governance functions were represented at the most senior level by
the three statutory officers, it had also created a gap at the
Executive Head of Service / Assistant Director level for each of
these disciplines, which could not be sustained.

2.       
To respond to the concerns raised in recent months by Statutory
Officers in relation to the robustness of governance arrangements
for both Waverley Borough Council and Guildford Borough Council
which had resulted in the need for an improvement plan, and
continuous improvement thereafter to ensure good governance, and
compliance with the Council’s statutory duties relating to
best value.

3.       
To fund the growth needed to address 1 and 2 above
in the Legal and Democratic Services function.

4.       
To deliver the capacity and capability to enable
timely, effective, transparent and consistent decision making at
all levels of both organisations, including at the most senior
leadership levels.

5.       
To deliver the capacity and capability needed to
embed successes in ongoing collaboration efforts and enhance the
pace of future collaboration, transition to shared services and
continuous improvement in service delivery and realisation of
cashable and non-cashable savings.

6.       
To create the framework for the Legal and Democratic
Services function which will reduce dependency on expensive
external resources and further implement succession planning and
career development which had already seen an increase in internal
promotion appointments to vacancies in Waverley Legal
Services.
Other options considered and rejected by the
Executive:
Options 1 and 2.
Details of any conflict of interest declared by
the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation
granted:
None.