In each organisation, the leadership has also provided a strong focus on the need to be innovative and creative in the approach to service delivery. This last goal is a particularly significant congruence between the two organisations, and much more explicit in the political vision, when compared with other districts around the country.
Cabinet members have discussed current issues relating to their respective portfolios with a view to identifying areas where options for future integration of services might be explored.
The legal mechanisms for formalising the appointment of a shared chief executive are relatively straightforward. The model chosen by EHDC and HBC is an agreement between the two councils under Section 113 of the Local Government Act 1972.
Section 113 allows a local authority to enter into an agreement with another local authority to place one or more of its officers at the disposal of that other authority, having first consulted the officer or officers involved.
Officers who are made available under such an arrangement are able to take binding decisions on behalf of the authority at whose disposal they are placed, although they remain an employee of their original authority for employment and superannuation purposes.
Therefore, Ms Hopkins remains an employee of Havant BC, and her employment contract has been varied accordingly, to reflect changes in her pay arrangements. In addition, she is paid an annual fee to act as the head of paid service for East Hampshire.
This inter-authority agreement provides the foundation for the sharing of one council's chief executive with another council, enabling the shared officer to perform the role for both authorities on such terms as are agreed as to, for example, the duration of the arrangement, the sharing of employment costs and expenses, and the time and place of work of the shared officer.
Alongside the inter-authority agreement, there are three further elements to complete the arrangement:
This includes the joint role itself, shared financial arrangements such as expenses, IT, learning and development, performance monitoring, dispute resolution and any termination clauses.
The financial benefits and savings for both authorities begin with the automatic saving of £59,000 just by making this first step. Both councils also agree to working towards a shared management structure and services, which could potentially save between £600,000-£1m between them in the longer term.
However, it is important to be clear both organisations will maintain their own identities. This is not a merger. It is a working partnership for the greater good of customers and residents of both organisations.
Both councils recognise the importance of good communications with customers and members of staff, and mechanisms for keeping everyone informed of key issues is currently being put into place.
Lorna Jackson is communications officer for Havant BC
