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Agenda item

Publica Transition Plan - Phase 2

To consider the document Publica Transition: A Plan for Phase 2 of Council Services (“Phase 2 Transition Plan”), to note its contents and to approve the recommendations therein.

Minutes:

The purpose of the report was to consider the document Publica Transition: a plan for phase 2 of the Council's services.

 

The Chief Executive Officer, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation and the Interim Program Director for the Publica Transition program introduced the report and made the following points:

  • Following the successful implementation of the Publica Transition Phase 1 in November 2024, planning for Phase 2 began. This process aligned with recommendations from the Human Engine and Local Partnerships reports. These reports had suggested a launch implementation date of 1 July 2025.
  • An initial planning workshop identified key service areas for inclusion in Phase 2, including property and estates, leisure contract management, waste, project management, and Careline/Linkline services. Some areas, such as environmental regulatory services and performance/business intelligence, were excluded due to cost, fragmentation and lower impact.
  • A detailed service-by-service review was conducted through the autumn to ensure clarity on service structures and council needs. Feedback from Phase 1 indicated smooth implementation, with no major TUPE transition issues and overall positive outcomes.
  • Modelling began on 1 January 2025, leading to a transition plan that was presented for consideration. If approved, implementation was set to begin in April, including TUPE consultation and structural formation, with a target go-live date of 1 July 2025.
  • That meeting was part of a series of discussions across three partner councils. Pending approvals, the implementation phase was scheduled to commence, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and financial strategies.

 

Councillor Fowles left the meeting at 17:06 and returned at 17:42

 

Members discussed the report, raising the following points:

  • Members asked about services that would remain within Publica and whether there were any plans for a Phase 3 transition. The Interim Program Director of the Publica Transition explained that the remaining services were fragmented across the different councils and would not be covered by TUPE and at present, Phase 3 was not being considered. Members raised concerns that the remaining staff within Publica had not been offered as good a pension as those transitioned to Cotswold Council.
  • Members wanted clarification about possible issues arising if one council in the Publica partnership did not agree to proceed with the transition. The Interim Program Director of the Publica Transition explained that the plan was developed collaboratively from the start and whilst councils were sovereign and could make their own decisions, there had been a consistent approach across all councils.
  • Members asked whether the Linkline and Careline service would continue to be provided after the Publica transfer and whether  Forest of Dean District Council would continue to provide the service. The Deputy Chief Executive clarified that indications were that the Linkline and Careline services would continue to be provided at no extra cost to Cotswold District Council.
  • Potential benefits included the improved recruitment of planning and enforcement officers.
  • There was a request for an update report to be brought to the November 2025 Committee meeting to gauge performance improvements.
  • Members asked for a costing for the whole of the Publica Transition which was to be provided by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer.
  • Members asked whether there were the options of sharing some services with other councils in light of Local Government Reorganisation. The Chief Executive explained that whilst there were a few areas, such as ICT, that could lend themselves to be shared by councils not in the same unitaries, other services, such as Environmental Health would be more difficult due to geographical distances.
  • Members discussed the role of communication around the Publica transition to internal employees and to Parish and Town councils and residents.

 

 

Regarding Annex B of the Publica Transition Plan, Members asked for reasons why the Cotswold District Council transition plan was more expensive than the Publica proposal. The Chief Executive explained that there were various reasons for the higher costs and some of the advantages to Cotswold District Council. The move to the more costly Local Government Pension Scheme was expected to reduce the difficulties around the recruitment in areas such as planning and enforcement which would hopefully reduce the costs of interim and agency staff in the longer run. Members asked if there was an expected time scale for the financial pay-back due to the Publica transition.

 

The Cabinet Member explained that the Publica model had been financially unsustainable because the Council had lacked control over spending and service decisions. The three councils involved had different priorities, making the old model unsuitable. The aim had been to make services adaptable for any future council, addressing financial pressures and ensuring a smooth transition for the successor council.

 

The Committee resolved to submit three recommendations to Cabinet:

 

  1. That consideration be given to what Phase 3 of the Publica Transition may look like in view of local government reorganisation.
  2. That the Council undertakes an annual review of the Publica Transition.
  3. That consideration is given to wider communications about the Publica Transition to the public and town and parish councils following the pre-election period for the County Council elections.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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