To consider approval of the Public Sector Partnership Services Business Plan 2025 to 2028.

A report was presented to consider approval of the Public Sector Partnership Services (PSPS) Business Plan 2025 to 2028.

During his introduction of the report, the Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture and Carbon Reduction informed Members that in 2020, East Lindsey District Council (ELDC) and South Holland District Council (SHDC) signed a new 10-year Joint Venture Agreement with Public Sector Partnership Services.  Since that time, Boston Borough Council had also transferred services in the company (from April 2021).

The report brought forward the PSPS Business Plan 2025 to 2028 for consideration which was a matter for ELDC and SHDC Councils only as the founding shareholders of the company and was a requirement under the Joint Venture Shareholder Agreement.

The background was detailed at Section 1 and the PSPS Business Plan 2025-2027 was attached at Appendix A to the report, pages 334 to 360 of the Agenda refer.

The recommendations were duly Proposed and Seconded.

A Member highlighted that within the introduction of the Business Plan there were some missing figures for savings estimates, page 340 of the Agenda refers and highlighted the importance to see what the projections were.

In response, the Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture and Carbon Reduction agreed to provide a response in writing to the Councillor.

A Member further considered that the Plan was light on detail of how PSPS would get to where it wanted to be and that it was important not to over estimate savings that would be made from Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In response, the Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture and Carbon Reduction informed Members that currently AI was being used at the cold face of business, for example acknowledging questions received and directing them to the right place.  As AI was a relatively new concept to most councils’ businesses, work was underway to ensure that every advantage could be taken from this whilst ensuring IT systems were secure.  He further considered that Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) was a moving feast and that it was important that the councils and other organisations such as PSPS and Magna Vitae were in a healthy position for when the review came to be able to dictate some of its own terms.

It was also highlighted that LGR would impact on service delivery and governance, therefore needed careful monitoring and overall the Plan would require some refinement.

In response, the Leader of the Council stated that with LGR coming along, it was important for PSPS to be a thriving company as there may be potentials for the company itself.

A Member highlighted the problems experienced with technology and asked for assurance that within the Plan there would be training offered on accessibility features.

In response, the Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture and Carbon Reduction stated that ‘Recite Me’ had been added to the website and it was hoped that this would assist people with disabilities to communicate with the Council better.  He added that if there was anything further that could be developed, to bring this to his attention and he would look to incorporate this as well as offering training for counsellors or helpers in the communities.

The Portfolio Holder for Coastal Economy congratulated those employed by PSPS and the East Lindsey Members who sat on the PSPS Board.  He considered that despite some difficulties along the way, PSPS offered a fantastic service to ELDC residents and also helped the Council to save money.

In response, the Leader of the Council acknowledged the work that had been undertaken by PSPS over a number of years with a broad range of services.  He highlighted that some of the service areas were constantly under challenge because of their usage and subject to change at a moment’s notice by government decision, however managed to remain an agile organisation that met demands.  He added that he was happy to support the Business Plan and added that PSPS had delivered well for both ELDC and SHDC over the years.

RESOLVED

That, subject to a similar decision by the other founding shareholder, the PSPS Business Plan 2025 to 2028 as set out at Appendix A to the report be approved.

N.B.  Councillors Richard Fry and Jill Makinson-Sanders re-joined the Meeting at 5.02pm.