To consider the submitted report on the above.

The Council considered the submitted report on a proposal to combine the statutory roles of the Director of Children’s Services and the Director of Adult Services (Director of Joint Commissioning).  It was noted the proposal ensured that the Council was fit for purpose to perform its commissioning role and fulfil its statutory duties for children’s, adults and public health services.  A revised officer recommendation was circulated at the meeting.

It was proposed by Councillor Parrott and seconded by Councillor Barnby:

(i)         that the proposal to combine the statutory duties of the Director of Children’s Services and the Director of Adult Services be approved and the Council moves to the recruitment stage immediately;  and

(ii)        that the required “test of assurance” structure set out at Appendix 2 to the submitted report be agreed and the annual review process (involving the Chairs of the Adults' and Children's Safeguarding Board) is put in place for the future to include a new performance dashboard be developed by the Assistant Director of Corporate and Business Services, to be introduced within three months following the appointment of the new Director of Joint Commissioning, to monitor the ‘test of assurance’ through the Overview and Scrutiny Board on a programmed basis.

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared carried (unanimous).