Issue - meetings

To consider a verbal update regarding bringing the Public Protection Service back in house.

The Committee considered a report, set out in agenda pages 5 to 10, which set out the areas for a verbal update regarding bringing the public protection service back in-house.

Bill Soane (Executive Member for Neighbourhood and Communities), Wayne Smith (Executive Member for Planning and Enforcement), Steve Moore (Interim Director – Place and Growth), David Thrale (Interim Public Protection Consultant), and Stephen Brown (Interim Assistant Director – Place) attended the meeting to verbally update the Committee and to answer Member questions.

The Executive Member for Neighbourhood and Communities stated that Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) would leave the public protection partnership (PPP) on 31 March 2022. WBC had appreciated the partnership working over the years, however it was not felt that the residents of Wokingham would be better served by an in-house service. Low level antisocial behaviour was one area where residents could be better served by a service with more in-depth local knowledge. Progress was going well in terms of staffing and negotiation, and the aim was to minimise costs for all three local authorities. A modern new IT system would be procured once the service had transitioned in-house. Regarding Building Control Solutions, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) had left the service, whilst West Berkshire were deciding on their future. The move away from the PPP to an in-house service was being done to provide a better service for the Borough’s residents.

The Interim Director (Place & Growth) stated that there was unilateral thanks to the staff and the PPP as a whole for the work that they had done. The transition was a work in progress, and the goal of creating a localised service which worked better for the Borough’s residents was a top priority. Areas including the staff transition plan and the customer process design were a work in progress, whilst other areas such as budgeting and the exit plan were to be progressed with the next steps of the transition. Ongoing staff dialogue would be carried out throughout the process, and keeping staff up to date and informed was key to a successful transition.

During the ensuing discussion Members raised the following points and queries:

·           What was the progress of the transition, and what were the challenges faced so far? Director response – A range of issues were being worked on including HR and IT, and transitions out of a partnership always presented challenges. WBC was working closely with Bracknell and RBWM to ensure a smooth transition.

·           Had any risks regarding pensions been considered? Interim Director response – Indicative cost modelling had been carried out, and this was an item included within the risk register. A fit for purpose HR function was critical to the transition process, and conversations were currently taking place regarding this issue.

·           Was there anything to suggest that WBC would have been better off to wait prior to deciding that they wished to leave the PPP? Executive Member and Interim Director response – This decision was made prior to the Interim  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21