Decision details

To consider a report of the Executive Director Environment seeking approval for the introduction of new governance arrangements for the delivery of the Council’s Registration Services with a view to achieving more freedom and flexibility in delivery of the service and creating the opportunity to offer a service that fits local requirements. The new governance arrangements will facilitate the more efficient use of resources and local arrangements to be put in place to strengthen management and accountability.

(i)  To authorise the Head of Environmental Health and Consumer Protection, following consultation with the Cabinet members for Environment and Transport and Resources and Workforce Planning, to prepare a Scheme and apply to the General Register Office for approval of a new scheme of governance for the Council’s Registration Service.

(ii)  To authorise the Solicitor for the Council to sign and seal the new scheme of governance.

(iii)  To authorise the Head of Environmental Health and Consumer Protection to continue to act as the Proper Officer for the Registration Service under the new scheme of governance.

(iv)  To authorise the Head of Environmental Health and Consumer Protection, following consultation with the Solicitor to the Council and the Executive Director of Resources, to do anything necessary to give effect to the proposals in this report including but not limited to the entering into of any required Code of Practice, establishment and management of any performance management arrangements, determination of any objections to the proposed new Scheme.

1. Currently, the Registration Service is delivered within a framework that has not significantly changed for many years and these arrangements have become anomalous and out of step with other council services. The current governance arrangements are very prescriptive and do not allow the local authority to use staff in a flexible and efficient way.
2. There is an opportunity to adopt a new scheme of governance and this new framework will enable the Registration Service to modernise and focus more on local service delivery.  The new arrangements will give Southampton City Council greater control over staffing and administrative arrangements.Subject to Cabinet’s approval, a provisional implementation date of the 1^st August 2010 has been agreed with the Registrar General for the introduction of the new scheme of governance.

The Registration Service could do nothing and continue with the present scheme of registration.  This option would prevent further modernisation of the service by not allowing the benefit of local freedom and flexibility.  The General Register Office would continue to have the role of, not only inspecting the service outcomes but also the local inspection of individual officers and detailed administration activity.  If new governance arrangements are not adopted then any changes to staffing would be required to continue to be approved by the General Register Office via a formal scheme change process.  For these reasons, the do nothing option has been rejected.