Decision details
Review of Publica Members Agreement and Service Specifications
Decision Maker: Executive
Decision status: Recommendations Approved (subject to call-in)
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: Yes
Decisions:
Councillor Andy Graham, Leader of the Council, presented the item the purpose of which was for the Executive to consider proposals for amendments and an extension to governance arrangements following the conclusion of the Publica Review. This included the updating of service specifications, service agreements, the members agreement and articles of association.
Councillor Graham made the following key points in his presentation:
· There had been significant changes to Publica in the last few years following the Publica Review and the return of some services to the Council.
· There had also been changes to the company board structure with new Non-Executive Directors having been appointed including council officer representation, and a slimmed down Publica Executive structure that reflected the reduced service provision to partners.
· The changes to governance arrangements and service specification were set out in the report. There were minor changes to the Articles of Association and Members Agreement to ensure provisions were up to date, relevant and clear. There were more significant changes to the Service Specification, with the merging of three separate service specifications into one and a reduction in services provided by Publica as some had transferred back to the Councils. It also provided one single agreement end date of 31 October 2030 that provided continuity should any new unitary authority want to continue with the model, or undertake a phased shutdown, whilst retaining flexibility for termination earlier, if necessary.
· Once approved, the changes to the Articles of Association, Members Agreement and Service Specification would be legally enacted through deeds of variation to the original documentation.
Councillor Graham proposed accepting the recommendations in the report.
Alternative options detailed in the report were that the council could have continued to operate the arrangements with Publica under side letter, however this would have failed to provide clarity of revisions to roles and responsibilities and the service specification after the Publica Review.
Councillor Duncan Enright, Deputy Leader of the Council, seconded the proposal.
This was voted on and agreed unanimously.
The Executive resolved to:
1. Approve in principle the changes to the governance agreements set out in section 3 below.
2. Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to finalise and enact through appropriate legal documentation, the detailed changes to the agreements, in line with principles agreed.
Report author: Madhu Richards
Publication date: 13/03/2026
Date of decision: 11/03/2026
Decided at meeting: 11/03/2026 - Executive
Date comes into force if not called in: 21/03/2026
Call-in deadline date: 20/03/2026
Current call-in Count: 0
Accompanying Documents:
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