Next week, councillors in Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen will be asked to approve the appointment of Stephen Vickers as the permanent Joint Chief Executive for both Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent County Borough councils. Torfaen councillors will be asked to approve on Tuesday, 21st January, and Blaenau Gwent councillors on Thursday, 23rd January.
The report to both councils follows a 7 month ‘discovery phase’ during which both councils agreed to share the Chief Executive role, while exploratory work took place to understand the opportunities and risks of closer working.
The review supported by Local Partnerships has now concluded following engagement with councillors, senior officers, and staff, as well as representatives of Welsh Government, the Welsh Local Government Association and Trade Unions.
The report recommends the permanent appointment of a joint Chief Executive, the establishment of a joint leadership team and further work to explore the opportunities and benefits for services. It also highlights a strong and enthusiastic appetite among councillors for closer working and collaboration.
The Leader of Torfaen County Borough Council, Cllr Anthony Hunt, said:
“The status quo isn’t a sensible or attractive option if we want to improve outcomes for residents and sustain vital local services.
“This report supports a federation of two councils of equal status. We want to align our organisations where it makes sense to do so, and deliver efficiencies starting at the very top, including the shared salary costs of a federated leadership team – so we can focus resources at the coal face of local service delivery in our communities.”
The Leader of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, Cllr Steve Thomas added:
“There are immediate efficiencies and benefits of scale, but this proposal also maintains our financial and political sovereignty and governance arrangements.
“It will also open the door to sharing best practice and specialist skills and improve the resilience of small teams, improve recruitment, and reduce management and administration costs.
“This innovative approach is being widely embraced by councillors, staff and partners, partly as it is not being imposed upon us and partly because we already have a great deal in common. This is our two councils supporting a proactive, phased approach towards stronger alignment and helps avoid the costly rigmarole and paralysis of a big bang merger.”
Should councillors agree to appoint a joint Chief Executive on a permanent basis, Local Partnerships who are a joint venture between the Local Government Association, HM Treasury and Welsh Government, will be engaged to develop a strategic outline case including a financial model and criteria for service alignment and prioritisation.
