Scrutinising complex
partnerships
Sponsored by
Anthony Collins Solicitors
Democracy, governance and the truth
#cfpstruth
Richard Brooks - Chair
Richard advises local and central government on major capital projects.
His specialisms include procurement, State aid and contracts. His
work involves re-structuring failing projects and in the scrutiny and
defence of cases where disappointed bidders bring procurement
challenges.
Cllr. Ketan Sheth – Facilitator
Cllr Sheth is a Ward Councillor for Tokyngton in the London Borough of
Brent. He was appointed the Chair of the Community and Wellbeing
Scrutiny Committee in May 2016, and has been a councillor since 2010.
Before his current appointment in 2016, he was the Chair of Planning,
of Standards, and of the Licensing Committees. Cllr. Sheth is a
practicing solicitor by profession.
Suki Binjal – Facilitator
Suki Binjal is an experienced public sector lawyer providing legal and
strategic advice to local authorities and other public bodies, including
being responsible for a portfolio of front line and back office services.
She has over 20 years of experience of providing legal advice and
holding senior positions within local government.
Su Turner – Facilitator
As Director for Children and Young People, Su leads CfPS’ projects and
policy development relating to children’s safeguarding, school
improvement and public involvement. She is an experienced Chair of
Governors, qualified Executive Coach and Mentor and a skilled
Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator.
Democracy, Governance and the Truth
Managing Complex
Partnerships
1st December 2016
Suki Binjal
Deputy Vice President, LLG
Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
Interim Assistant Director – Law & Governance
and Monitoring Officer
Democracy, Governance and the Truth
Managing Complex Partnerships
• Setting up an Alternative Service Delivery Vehicle
• Company Structure
• Purpose
• Legal powers
• Separate Boards/Joint Committee
• Governance and Control
•
•
•
•
Members allowances
Roles of Officers and Councillors
Director’s responsibilities
Scrutiny and audit functions
Democracy, Governance and the Truth
Managing Complex Partnerships
• Finance Issues
• HR Issues
• Assets Issues
• Procurement Rules
• ICT
Democracy, Governance and the Truth
Managing Complex Partnerships
• Organisational Issues/Relationships
• Your role within ASDV’s
• Soft skills Vs Hard skills
• Terminology
Democracy, Governance and the Truth
Scrutinising complex partnerships
Highlighting Best Practice in Brent
1st December 2016
Speaker : Cllr Ketan Sheth
Email:
[email protected]
Twitter:
@brent_council @KetanSheth3
#ScrutinyBrent
Highlighting Best Practice in Brent
Complex partners
•
•
•
•
•
•
NHS
Health and Wellbeing Board
Local Safeguarding Children’s Board
Schools
Brent Housing Partnership (BHP)
and others
Highlighting Best Practice in Brent
Setting the agenda
• Brent holds an agenda setting meeting at the start of the municipal
year.
• The meeting is held with committee members and with officers.
Understanding the subject matter of the report
• Pro-forma for report completed (i.e. Content of report)
• Chair holds 1-2-1 with report author to fully understand subject
matter (BHP, STPs)
• Undertaking site visits (eg. How licensing raids were carried out)
• Briefing meeting with officers
• Undertaking further site visits if required (eg. NAIL project, BHP
sites, etc)
Highlighting Best Practice in Brent
Developing themes for questions and
recommendations in the pre-meeting
Ensuring the meeting is
• Time efficient
• Inclusive of all members
• Productive
Highlighting Best Practice in Brent
Tracking recommendations and building
bridges
Tracking recommendations
• All recommendations tracked
• Presented to Cabinet or external partners as appropriate
Building relationships
• Inclusive of all members
• Ensure that they are more willing to attend than not
Su Turner
Director – Children and Young People
The Centre for Public Scrutiny
Scrutinising complex partnerships
• Diversification of traditional council run
services
• Growth in statutory partnerships
• Some more established then others
• Complexity in understanding and oversight
• Understanding impact
www.cfps.org.uk
@cfpscrutiny
Children’s Services
• Emerging push for ADVs
• Contract management Vs
scrutiny – who’s job is it?
• Relationships and adding
value
• Regular dialogue
• Triangulation!
• Making a difference
www.cfps.org.uk
@cfpscrutiny
Identifying scrutiny’s niche
• Focus on the customer / resident – look at it from the
viewpoint of local people
• Focus on value – are the plans economic, efficient and
effective
• Focus on risk and ensuring that there is resilience
• Focus on the system and the organisational
development
• Focus on the performance and quality is it making a
difference!
• Others?????
www.cfps.org.uk
@cfpscrutiny
Discussion Groups
On your tables consider the following:
•
How do you currently scrutinise complex partnerships?
•
With the increasing focus on different ways of working,
what are your challenges in scrutinising complex
partnerships?
#cfpstruth
Feedback and panel questions
#cfpstruth