Issue - decisions
Review of Legal Services
14/12/2023 - Review of Legal Services
Councillor Andy Graham, Leader of the Council, introduced the report, which provided a detailed outline the conclusions and recommendations from a strategic review of the shared Legal Service by an external organisation, Cadence Innova Limited. The report also sought agreement to invest in the Legal Service.
Councillor Andy Graham proposed that the Executive agree to the recommendations as listed on the report. This was seconded by Councillor Andrew Prosser, was put to a vote, and was agreed unanimously by the Executive.
The Executive Resolved to:
- Approve:
a) Ongoing revenue investment of £40,000 per annum into the shared Legal Service to recruit two additional roles, with any 2023/24 costs to be funded from reserves;
b) A one-off funding of £26,000 to contribute to a temporary (12 months) Legal Services Change Manager role to be funded from reserves;
c) A maximum contribution of £45,000, (in total over a four-year period), for the procurement of legal case management software.
- Delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Director of Governance, the signing off of the Shared Legal Services Collaboration Agreement between Cotswold District Council, Forest of Dean District Council and West Oxfordshire District Council;
- Note that a further update report will be provided to the Executive in six months detailing the transformation to date.