www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Members Update - 20th June 2008
The five Corporate Director posts have now been filled.
- Sue Redmond, Community Services
- Carolyn Godfrey, Children and Education
- George Batten, Transport, Environment and Leisure
- Mark Boden, Economic Development, Planning and Housing
- Carlton Brand, Resources
The next stage is to appoint to the Service Director level and this process is likely to be completed by early July.
As I will now take on the role of Corporate Director, it has been agreed that Keith Robinson will become the Transition Programme Director, so this will be my last newsletter and Keith will introduce the next one. I’m looking forward to continuing to work on One Council in my new role. Thank you all for your support and hard work through my time as Transition Programme Director.
George Batten
Transition Programme Director
Implementation Executive
The Implementation Executive met on 17 June. Below is a summary of discussions and outcomes, but it does not represent the formal minutes or decisions of the IE, which will be on the website soon.
A progress report was received on the overall “Towards One Council” project.
The IE considered a detailed report on the development and delivery of the Salisbury Vision. The IE has endorsed the Vision but will receive further reports in September on the governance arrangements and financial implications for the delivery.
Members received a presentation on and endorsed the Access to Services Strategy.
The IE received a financial update which set out the key financial activity that would take place up until January 2009.
Members noted an update report on current and proposed activity in relation to the delegation to town and parish council’s project.
The IE agreed the outline work programme and noted the dates for future meetings through to March 2009.
Members received the minutes of the Appointments Sub Committee on 4 June 2008.
For further information please contact John Quinton, Head of Democratic Services on 01225 713054.
Elections in 2009
The Department of Communities and Local Governmentis currently consulting on:-
(i) whetherparish and town council elections should remain deferred from 2011 until 2013, or whether there is a strong view in favour of combining elections with those to the new unitary authority in 2009. All parish and town councils have been asked for their views on this matter; and
(ii) whether the elections to the new unitary authority should be deferredfrom May 2009 and combined with the elections to European Parliament in June 2009.
A report on both of these issues is being prepared for the Implementation Executive on 9 July.
Dates for Diaries
- 26 June - Seminar – What will we be like and Compass
- Assembly Rooms, Devizes 6.30pm
- 9 July - Implementation Executive
- County Hall 4pm
- 24 July - Seminar – To be confirmed
- 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.
Workstream news…
Business Management Programme (BMP)
The change champions within each department and district are currently drafting their Service Area Implementation Plans (SAIP) which will lay out how the objectives of the BMP will be delivered in their own service areas.
Resources workstream - Looking to the future
Many thanks to the resources workstream leads and their staff who are working hard to get a clear indication of what is required for Vesting Day, to ensure everything is in place on 1st April 2009. Here is what the teams are currently working on:
- The communications team have all policies and protocols in place to deal with the media and work is progressing on implementing the new branding for Wiltshire Council. A decision on the branding has now been made but this has to be ratified by the Implementation Executive.
- Electoral Services is the first service to be set up as a single team and plan to be in their new location at North Wiltshire District Council's Monkton Park offices and operational by 1 September 2008.
- The legal team are making sure that they can meet the demand for legal services on Vesting Day and beyond. They are looking at harmonising systems relating to documents, records and deeds and rationalising library resources to achieve possible savings of approximately £50k.
- Work is being done to investigate how post is currently handled to establish bulk post handling and standardise methods, processes and procedures.
- The revenues and benefits team are compiling manuals to standardise processes, forms and procedures so that there is a consistent approach across the new Wiltshire Council
Frontline Services Workstream (FLS) – highly commended
‘Excellent’ was how reporting was described at the Frontline Services Board meeting on 9 June. Tim Gregory commended the work undertaken to produce a detailed FLS Workstream Action Plan highlighting what needs to be done in the 10 front line service areas. He said the PIDs, Plans, logs and reports completed by service area lead officers reflected commendable team work, effort and dedication and provided a valuable resource. Addressing the Board, he said the work achieved in the FLS Workstream since January had been remarkable. “Please extend my appreciation to all concerned,” he said. “Your combined efforts will make a significant contribution to smooth transition and greatly assist the directors taking up new positions over the next few months.”
Community Leadership and Governance (CL&G) - Boundary Review
Members are reminded that the Boundary Committee is planning topublish draft recommendations in early July - it is possible that this could be as early as 1 July. There will then be a further 8 week period of consultation on these draft recommendations before the Boundary Committee finalises its recommendations later in the year.
The Boundary Committee should write direct to alldistrict, parish and town councils on this matter but we will endeavour to have their draft recommendations placed on our website as soon as they are available.
All the Boundary review papers are placed on the One Council website.
Customer Focus
The Customer Access to Services Strategy was signed off by the Implementation Executive on Tuesday 17 June. The strategy, which is the result of hard work across all five councils,sets out the business priorities, together with a picture of what customer access will be like on 1 April 2009 (achieving completely reliable access to services) and by 2012 (creating transformed access to services). The full Strategy can be seen on the website.
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.
