Council to bring services delivered by two of its companies back in-house

by Lisa Reeves

Tuesday 2^nd July 2019

Tue 2^nd Jul 2019

Cheshire East Council has announced it will redesign the council's strategic services for growth, regeneration and economic development.

This includes the council providing services previously commissioned through Engine of the North and the Skills and Growth Company directly, as well as reviewing some of the services currently provided by the council.

This would mean the transfer of staff and responsibilities of these two companies back to the council.

The council has been undertaking a review of each of its ASDVs (alternative service delivery vehicles) and the first phase of this review is now ready to be implemented.

Cheshire East Council's cabinet and shareholder committee endorsed the proposals, following on from the review, to bring most of the services currently delivered by these two companies back in-house as well as redesigning its in-house services.

The decision was taken on 13th March by the portfolio holder and the matter was reviewed by the council's overview and scrutiny committee on 6th June.

Frank Jordan, Cheshire East Council's executive director of place, said: "Since establishing these two companies we have learned a great deal about working and partnering in the commercial sector but, like any large organisation, we do need to regularly and rigorously assess and review the competitiveness of the services we commission.

"Faced with increasing financial pressure, the realignment of funding will help the council provide a more efficient and effective way of driving our economic development programme forwards.

"This new approach will improve our ability to unlock growth and create new regeneration opportunities right across the borough."

Subject to a formal consultation with staff, the process of transferring services and staff back to the council under the economic development service will take place on 1st August 2019.

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Rick Andrews

Tuesday 2^nd July 2019 at 4:28 pm

Another waste of money - does the council never learn that outsourcing by moving staff and creating companies generally adds cost. Plus cost to reinstate the displaced staff when the model fails.

Manuel Golding

Wednesday 3^rd July 2019 at 12:19 pm

We are in the importunate positron of having a new council elected by the Borough's voters on the 2nd May, now a joint Independent Group & Labour coalition, replacing the previous Conservative controlled council which has so badly let down voters in Cheshire East. The new administration has inherited a most difficult situation, including loss making "arms-length" service companies, two of which are reverting to in-house control. The previous "arms-length" strategy has proven to be costly, hopefully the new regime will be beneficial for all residents.

Bob Bracegirdle

Wednesday 3^rd July 2019 at 9:42 pm

Rearranging the deckchairs

Pete Taylor

Thursday 4^th July 2019 at 8:11 pm

Presumably Frank is already clearing his desk and the “new management” at CEC are working to get rid of such facile job-titles as “Director of Place”.
They have a gargantuan task, let’s give them some time, folks.
First job must surely be a moratorium on any new-build site work commencing. The air-quality monitoring was criminally fiddled. Until it has been verified surely all planning consents must be put on ice

Thursday 4^th July 2019 at 8:47 pm

The house of cards wobbles; let us hope it is a controlled collapse.