Issue - meetings

Report of the Leader

RESOLVED THAT

1.    The business case for Tewkesbury Borough Council, West Oxfordshire District Council, Forest of Dean District Council and Stroud District Council as appended to this report be approved

2.    It be agreed that a £1 share in Ubico Ltd be issued to each of the above mentioned councils on the date each council enters into a contract with Ubico Ltd for the delivery of services to their council, such date not to be before 31 March 2015.

The Leader introduced the report and explained that in April 2012 Cheltenham Borough Council and Cotswold District Council created Ubico to deliver services to both councils. The subsequent cost efficiencies and service improvements delivered by the company have attracted significant interest and locally four other councils have applied to join the company. He explained that in September 2014 revised governance arrangements for an extended partnership were approved and now Cabinet was being asked to formally approve the extension of the partnership to other partners based on the business cases attached to the report.

The Leader explained that Tewkesbury BC had been involved in the process of establishing Ubico from the outset and was intending to join in April 2015. The proposal for TBC to join Ubico would provide the opportunity to rationalise space leading to operational efficiencies at the Depot. The financial benefits were outlined in paragraph 2.3 of the report. The Leader reported that West Oxfordshire and the Forest of Dean would at this stage only join part of the business due to existing contractual arrangements. Stroud DC hoped to join in 2016.

The Leader highlighted that the financial implications of extending the partnership meant that once all partners were on board Cheltenham BC would increase its annual savings to £129,825 and the Council would recover £90,667 of its share of Ubico set up costs.

Finally, the Leader added that in terms of scrutiny, the Ubico board had a member observer. The Board has confirmed that it would continue this arrangement but was due to look at broader scrutiny options to ensure continued member involvement.

Members welcomed the achievements of Ubico in positively delivering its services at the same time as generating efficiencies and savings. Thanks were given to all those who had been involved in the process.

RESOLVED THAT

1.    The business case for Tewkesbury Borough Council, West Oxfordshire District Council, Forest of Dean District Council and Stroud District Council as appended to this report be approved

2.    It be agreed that a £1 share in Ubico Ltd be issued to each of the above mentioned councils on the date each council enters into a contract with Ubico Ltd for the delivery of services to their council, such date not to be before 31 March 2015.