Decision - Orbis Public Law- Proposals for the Establishment of a Shared Legal Service

That the Committee agrees:

1)           To the creation of a new Legal Services partnership arrangement between Brighton & Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council, Surrey County Council and West Sussex County Council to be known as Orbis Public Law with effect from 1 April 2016, subject to due diligence.

2)           That a Business Case be developed for an Alternative Business Structure, in the form of a Limited Company approved by the Solicitor Regulation Authority, and to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, after consultation with the Monitoring Officer, the Section 151 Officer and the Head of HR, to establish such an ABS if he considers it appropriate.

3)           To delegate authority to the Chief Executive to take any action necessary or incidental to the implementation of the above including (but not limited to) agreeing and entering into the Articles of Association, shareholder agreement and an Inter Authority Agreement between the partner authorities

That the Committee recommends to Council:

4)           The establishment of a Joint Committee as the governing body for Orbis Public Law to oversee the discharge of the Council’s Legal Services function;

5)           To agree the attached Terms of Reference (appendix 2) for the Joint Committee and to appoint Councillor Les Hamilton, Deputy Chair of P&R and Lead Member for Finance & Resources, to be a Member of the Joint Committee.