Issue - meetings

Report by Service Director, Economy and Enterprise.

The Council has been a member of the South West UK Brussels Office (SWUKBO) Partnership since its inception in 2001.  As a trusted and steadfast member of that Partnership, partners had requested that this Council takes on the Secretariat responsibilities of the Partnership involving the TUPE transfer of staff from Somerset County Council.   

Cllr John Brady presented a report by the Director of Economy & Enterprise which explained how this could be achieved and sought approval of the TUPE transfer of SWUKBO staff from Somerset County Council to Wiltshire Council.

 Resolved:

(a)               That Cabinet agrees to support the TUPE transfer of South West UK Brussels Office staff from Somerset County Council to Wiltshire Council for a period of three years starting 1 April 2010 subject to confirmation that a sufficient number of signatories to the Supplemental Agreement relating to the SWUKBO developed by Wiltshire Council have been secured. 

(b)              In the event that a sufficient number of partner signatories to the Supplemental Agreement have not been secured by the date of the Cabinet meeting, Cabinet authorises the Chief Executive in consultation with the Director of Economy & Enterprise to complete the process of TUPE transfer of SWUKBO staff subject to the required level of sign up by partners being achieved.

Reason for Decision

The Partnership Agreement for the South West specifies that the SWUKBO Secretariat responsibilities should rotate around the South West partners and as a trusted and steadfast member of the SWUKBO Partnership with the appropriate level of management capacity, Wiltshire Council has been invited to take on those responsibilities.

A management fee would be payable to Wiltshire Council to take on this role.  The new arrangement would also enable Wiltshire Council to develop a closer working relationship with SWUKBO and develop stronger relationships with the European institutions and networks including the European Parliament, Commission and Committee of the Regions with the benefit of early information regarding the availability of European funding opportunities to support the delivery of the strategic objectives of the Council and its partners.  In the last three years, over £10 million of European funding has been secured for projects in Wiltshire; Wiltshire Council’s membership of the SWUKBO Partnership has been a contributory factor to this success