Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Corporate Leadership Team (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Corporate Leadership Team presenting for consideration the outcomes of a review of corporate subscriptions with external partnership organisations.  Members were reminded that this review had been undertaken following a decision by the Council which requested the review as part of the 2020 / 21 budget process along with a value for money analysis.

The report provided background information regarding the request for a review and Appendix 1 to the report detailed information previously provided on the Local Government Association and East of England Local Government Association to Members in June 2019.  Details of each review undertaken were set out in the report and in respect of the Local Government Information Unit, Appendix 2 to the report outlined the services provided by this Unit.

The Director of Service Delivery provided Members with further information regarding the Local Government Information Unit and why the Corporate Leadership Team were recommending that Members consider whether they wished to renew its membership of this body.

The Leader of the Council then proposed that recommendations (i), (ii) and (iv) as set out in the report be agreed and that the Council agrees not to re-join the Local Government Information Unit.  This was duly seconded and upon a vote being taken was agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)              That the corporate subscription with the Local Government Association (LGA) and East of England Local Government Association (EEELGA) be continued;

(ii)            That corporate subscriptions with the following organisations are renewed for the 2020 / 21 financial year and then are subject to annual review by the Corporate Leadership Team:

·                 Essex On Line Partnership;

·                 Vine HR;

·                 Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Membership – District Surveyors Association;

·                 Volume and Values Survey by Visit England.

(iii)          That the Council not re-join the Local Government Information Unit;

(iv)           That the corporate subscription to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting be reinstated.