Decision details

19.1     Members were reminded that the Council, in December 2019, had entered into an arrangement with East Sussex County Council for the joint appointment of a chief executive and for the provision of mutual support to address a range of corporate challenges. The Committee considered a report by the Director of Law and Assurance which reviewed the arrangement by reference to its original aims and in light of experience (copy appended to the signed minutes).

19.2     The Leader commented that in his view the experience had been very positive and significant work had been done around improvements to corporate governance.  Becky Shaw, the joint Chief Executive, had also provided leadership confidence which had enabled the Council to make some significant appointments, including the new Executive Director Children’s Services, as well as filling other posts on an interim basis.  Significant progress had been made in relation to both the Children’s Services Improvement Plan and the Fire & Rescue Service improvement programme. Overlaying everything had been considerable work resulting from the response to Covid-19 and the need to redirect services. This had demonstrated the Council was building a strong leadership team and partner relationships had also been improved. The Leader felt that significant steps had been taken against the aims and objectives set out at paragraph 2.2 of the report.

19.3     Some members commented that they would have liked more detail in the report and more evidence that the original aims had been met. The Director of Law and Assurance proposed that further detail be brought to the Committee as part of a future report on the Good Governance Review prior to Council in October.

19.4     Some concern was expressed about the need to ensure that time pressures were monitored, both for the sake of the two councils and also for the Chief Executive. The Leader said that, working with the Chief Executive herself and the Leader of East Sussex County Council, care was taken to ensure the single role of steering two councils was manageable.

19.5     Resolved –

(1)         That the Committee notes the report and confirms the continuation of the arrangement with East Sussex County Council; and

(2)         That additional sources of assurance and evidence of benefits be brought to the Committee as part of a future report on the Good Governance Review.