www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Members Update - 6th June 2008
The Boundary Committee met again on 27 May and we are at the time of writingstill awaiting their formal response. We do know however that officers of the Boundary Committee are already working on the detail of the submission as we are responding to requests for further details.
Preparation has started in relation to Member development and induction, with a detailed timeline being prepared. A bid for the use of a graduate from within the NDGP scheme is also being prepared toassist with the organisation of the detailed programme and associated awareness raising sessions.
Also planning has started for the Unitary Councillor launch day during local democracy week
(13 - 17 October) and it is hoped to use the work undertaken by the IDeA on Compass and the work undertaken on the unitary councillor role description to inform this event.
George Batten
Transition Programme Director
Senior appointments to Wiltshire Council
The Appointment Sub Committee is pleased to announce that it intends offering the post of corporate director (transport, environment and leisure) to George Batten and the post of corporate director (economic development, planning and housing) to Mark Boden. Service director appointments are to be made on 30 June and 1 July.
Implementation Executive
Papers from the Implementation Executive meetings held on 22 May and 2 June can be found on the One Council website.
The role of the unitary councillor
A description of the role that all councillors will be expected to perform under the new unitary council was discussed at Implementation Executive and is now available to view on the One Council website. Councillors may have additional regulatory, licensing or scrutiny responsibilities or be a member of the Cabinet - there will be specific role descriptions drawn up for them, and each of these responsibilities is likely to attract additional time commitments.
Dates for your diaries
- 12 June - Seminar – Development Control - Corn Exchange, Devizes 6pm
- 17 June- Implementation Executive - 4pm
- 26 June - Seminar – What will we be like and Compass - Assembly Rooms, Devizes 6.30pm
- 9 July - Implementation Executive - 4pm
- 24 July - Seminar – Target Operating Model Corn Exchange, Devizes 6.30pm
Please note subjects of Members seminars may change from time to time – the newsletter is up to date at the time it goes out to you.
Joint Overview and Scrutiny Transition Board (JOSTB)
At its most recent meeting on 30 May 2008 the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Transition Board (JOSTB) considered the latest updates from the work of the Implementation Executive, and particularly focussed on the realisation of benefits and the Day One Plan. The Board also received interim reports from its own Task Groups on Development Control, Customer Access, Community Area Boards and Waste.
The Board welcomed the positive outcome of a rapid scrutiny exercise in early May 2008. John Noeken WCC Cabinet Member had been asked to sign a delegated decision for the procurement and implementation of the WAN (wide area network). He was keen to have a transitional scrutiny review the proposal. The report explained that the links between the hubs and data centres would be made using a combination of existing BT lines and dark fibre installed along railway lines with end connection to the hubs and centres via the sewers.
Furthermore, the Board started to develop an approach for the Overview and Scrutiny arrangements for the new council. It is intended that the work on this will start in earnest in the autumn, including external assessment and support.
Workstream news…
BMP
Members were invited to a Business Management Programme (BMP) seminar on 3 June. The seminar was well attended and The BMP team gave a presentation to help explain the benefits of the programme and the shared service team. The presentation can be seen on the One Council website (pdf 1848Kb) 
.
Resources Workstream
Within the internal governance workstream it has been noted that using Lagan to capture complaints data has been extremely successful for Salisbury District Council. The workstream are now looking at using Lagan and a new complaints policy to ensure a consistent approach across the new organisation.
Frontline Services Workstream (FLS)
A regeneration workshop has been organised for 12 June at the Corn Exchange, Devizes. It aims to engage the relevant teams (i.e. Street Scene, Forward Planning, Community Safety, Planning, Community planning, Housing, Enablement etc) in the development of the new service.
Community Leadership and Governance (CL&G)
A threeday induction event was recentlyheld to introduce the new team. Speakers attended from the South West Regional Centre of Excellence, to talk about the government’s empowerment agenda and from the University of Southampton to discuss opportunities for ‘design experiments’ during the development phase. Lead and support officer responsibilities for the 12 locations in the development phase were agreed. A proposed programme of work for the 12 areas in the development phase is to be considered at the next Board meeting on 19 June.
Customer Focus
Away days for customer services staff and relevant members are currently being planned. These will probably be carried out at Salisbury, Chippenham, Devizes and Trowbridge with a choice of sessions so that all staff can attend. They are planned to take place sometime between the end of June and the end of July (but before school holidays start). Final arrangements will be communicated to all concerned very soon.
Contact Details
By Post
Programme Office,
Wiltshire County Council
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JN
By Email
By Telephone
01225 713017
Notes: This is a communication from the Towards One Council Joint Implementation Team on behalf of Kennet District Council, North Wiltshire District Council, Salisbury District Council, West Wiltshire District Council and Wiltshire County Council. Minutes of the Towards One Council Joint Implementation Team are available on the extranet or by contacting us at the Programme Office.
