Agenda item

(a)  That delivery of the Council’s Legal Services through HB Public Law for a period to be set out in an Inter-Authority agreement be agreed.

(b)  That the delegation be agreed to the London Borough of Harrow of the discharge of the Council’s function in respect of the delivery of legal services in accordance with s101 and s113 of the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Government (Arrangements for the Discharge of Functions) (England) Regulations 2012.

(c)  That the Head of Legal, London Borough of Harrow be authorised to institute, defend or participate in any legal proceedings and sign documents on behalf of the Council.

(d)  That authority be delegated to the Director of Finance Resources, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transformation and Performance, to execute an Inter Authority Agreement with London Borough of Harrow and take any other necessary actions to give effect to the proposals for a new shared Legal service detailed in the report.

The Director of Finance & Resources introduced a report that set out proposals for the integration of Slough Borough Council’s Legal Services with HB Public Law (HBPL), the shared legal service hosted by the London Borough of Harrow.

The Council had been working with HBPL on an informal basis since March 2017 to support the small legal team employed by the Council.  There was a lack of ‘critical mass’ in the in house team, recruitment difficulties and an increasingly complex demand arising from multi-agency partnerships and new commercial arrangements.  RSM Risk Assurance Services LLP had been asked to conduct a Legal Services Review and their report was provided at Appendix A to the report.  The Appendix contained exempt information and was in Part II of the agenda, however, the Cabinet agreed to note the RSM report and consider the matter during Part I without disclosing any of the exempt information.

It was noted that HBPL provided legal services to Harrow, Barnet, Hounslow, Buckinghamshire, Aylesbury Vale and the London Waste Authority.  The shared service would therefore provide the Council with much greater access to a wider pool of specialist resources.  The benefits were expected to be improved efficiency, financial savings, improved resilience and better career prospects for the staff who would transfer to HBPL.

The Cabinet discussed some of the operational arrangements and benefits of the shared service.  It was noted that there would be increased access to the 170 specialist lawyers at HB Public Law which the Council currently had to outsource at significant expense.  There would continue to be an on site legal presence at the Council’s offices.

Speaking under Rule 30, Councillor Strutton recognised the work HBPL had been doing for Slough in the past year and sought assurance that some previously reported issues relating to conflicts of interest had been considered.  The Leader stated that a thorough process had been undertaken and that he had been satisfied that there were no conflicts of interest.  In response to a question, it was confirmed that Members would be welcome to visit HBPL if requested.

At the conclusion of the discussion, the Cabinet agreed the recommendations to enter into shared service arrangements.

Resolved –

(a)  That delivery of the Council’s Legal Services through HB Public Law for a period to be set out in an Inter-Authority agreement be agreed.

(b)  That the delegation be agreed to the London Borough of Harrow of the discharge of the Council’s function in respect of the delivery of legal services in accordance with s101 and s113 of the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Government (Arrangements for the Discharge of Functions) (England) Regulations 2012.

(c)  That the Head of Legal, London Borough of Harrow be authorised to institute, defend or participate in any legal proceedings and sign documents on behalf of the Council.

(d)  That authority be delegated to the Director of Finance Resources, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transformation and Performance, to execute an Inter Authority Agreement with London Borough of Harrow and take any other necessary actions to give effect to the proposals for a new shared Legal service detailed in the report.

(e)  That the Part II Appendix, Legal Services Review 2017/18, conducted by RSM Risk Assurance Services LLP be noted.