Agenda item

Joint ICT Work with London Borough of Southwark

This report sets out proposals for extending the ICT Shared Service for the London Boroughs of Brent and Lewisham to the London Borough of Southwark by 1^st November 2017.

Decision:

RESOLVED:

17.1 Cabinet noted the work undertaken to: complete the identified due diligence activities, sign up to an Interim InterAuthority Agreement dated 30 March 2017 and ongoing work to develop the more detailed inter-authority agreement and to assure the viability of a three-way shared ICT service since approval in principle was given to work with the London Borough of Southwark to expand the shared service.

17.2 Cabinet approved the establishment of a three-way shared ICT service with the London Borough of Lewisham and the London Borough of Southwark and the delegation from Southwark Council to Brent (as the primary host authority in the Shared Service with London Borough of Lewisham) of the delivery of ICT services within the agreed scope and with a planned service commencement date of 1 November 2017.

17.3 Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Resources to agree the final terms of the inter-authority agreement for accession of Southwark into the existing Shared Service and for the operation of the 3-way Shared ICT Service.

17.4 Cabinet noted that officers in Southwark and Lewisham are presenting reports to their respective cabinets in relation to this delegation and future shared ICT service. Cabinet further noted that a report will be brought to a future Cabinet meeting of Southwark Lewisham and Brent councils to give update on transition reporting with future reporting as required by the respective cabinets. The Southwark Cabinet Report will be published with the agenda for the 20^th June Cabinet meeting on the London Borough of Southwark website here: http://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=302

17.5 Cabinet agreed to reconstitute the Joint Committee established by Cabinet decision on 26 November 2015 to include the London Borough of Southwark to support the governance arrangements of the shared ICT service as detailed in this report.

17.6 Cabinet noted that the joint committee will consist of two elected members from each council and that Brent will be represented on that committee by two members.

17.7 Cabinet agreed the draft governance arrangements as outlined in Appendix A of the report from the Strategic Director of Resources.

17.8 Cabinet noted that Brent will manage ICT procurement for all three councils within the agreed scope and in accordance with agreed procurement protocols.

Minutes:

Councillor Margaret McLennan (Deputy Leader of the Council) introduced the report setting out proposals for the extension of the ICT Shared Service for the London Boroughs of Brent and Lewisham to the London Borough of Southwark by 1 November 2017, with Brent Council acting as the host provider. Following Cabinet approval in February 2017, an Interim Inter Authority Agreement had been entered into by the three councils and due diligence work had been undertaken with the purpose to accumulate sufficient information to validate the proposed costs, business benefits and identified risks. The due diligence work identified no major surprises and resource, time and cost estimates were within officers’ expectations. If the proposals in the report were approved by Cabinet, the three councils would negotiate and agree final terms and enter into a fuller form of inter-authority agreement. A joint committee and joint management board would be formed and the transition plan activities progressed.