The Portfolio Holder for Economic & Community Development presented the report which outlined progress on the work of the Citizens’ Advice Bureaux during the current year and sought approval for the Service Level Agreements for the next three financial years. It was noted that the current SLA was with Sevenoaks & Swanley and Edenbridge & Westerham Citizens’ Advice Bureaux but that the Sevenoaks & Swanley CAB was likely to merge with the Gravesham and Tonbridge CABx imminently.

Meetings had been held with the merging CABx and they had been told that any new SLA with them would be conditional upon their business plans demonstrating that the merger would be successful and including protection for the residents of Sevenoaks. Specifically undertakings would be required that:

·                the level of service provided to clients would remain as set out in paragraph 2.2 of the SLA for the term of the agreement;

·                the new merged Sevenoaks/Swanley/Tonbridge & Malling/Gravesham Citizens’ Advice Bureau would include a proportionate or better geographic representation from the Sevenoaks & Swanley area, including at least one (and no fewer than another local authorities’) representative, who should be nominated by Sevenoaks District Council;

·                SDC’s funding would be ring-fenced for the benefit of clients in the Sevenoaks District and the annual accounts would show spend in the Sevenoaks District separately from spend elsewhere; and

·                the pool of volunteers supporting the Sevenoaks and Swanley Bureau would include a proportionate or better percentage of volunteers from the Sevenoaks District.

It was noted that the local authorities concerned all had slightly different imperatives on the proposed merger but that it was important to ensure that any service delivered by the merged CABx met clients’ needs and included the necessary safeguards.  It was important not to withhold funding which could cause the service to collapse but likewise it was important to link funding to appropriate service delivery. For this reason Members might consider it appropriate to provide a full year’s funding to the Edenbridge & Westerham Citizens’ Advice Bureaux which were unaffected by the merger but to restrict payment to the first quarter only for the Sevenoaks & Swanley CAB with further payments being made conditional on them meeting the Council’s requirements for the merger by demonstrating significant progress. This approach was agreed by the Cabinet.

Members noted that this matter had been considered by the Economic & Community Development Advisory Committee on 12 February 2015 which had recommended the agreement of the draft Service Level Agreement subject to the Portfolio Holder being satisfied with the proposed merger arrangements.

Public Sector Equality Duty

Members noted that consideration had been given to impacts under the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Resolved:  That the draft Service Level Agreement for 2015/18 be agreed subject to the conditions set out in paragraph 12 of the report and the Chairman being satisfied with the proposed merger arrangements.