Purpose

To consolidate the Black Country Local
Authority Strategic transport teams into the Black Country
Transport team hosted at Wolverhampton

Content

1.     
That the implementation plan to consolidate the strategic transport
teams, their funding and projects from Dudley Metropolitan Borough
Council, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Walsall Council and
City of Wolverhampton Council into the Black Country Transport team
hosted by City of Wolverhampton Council be approved.

 

2.     
That City of Wolverhampton Council continue to act as Accountable
Body for Black Country Transport and host the new staffing and
project arrangements set out in the report and the Collaboration
Agreement.

 

3.     
That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City
Transport and Cabinet Member for Resources, in consultation with
the Chief Operating Officer, S151 Officer, Black Country Director
of Transport and Director of Resident Services to negotiate final
details, approve and authorise the sealing of the Black Country
Collaboration Agreement.

 

4.     
That subject to approval at each respective authority and signing
of the Collaboration Agreement the following be approved:

 

a.     
Transfer of strategic transport development functions to Black
Country Transport from Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council,
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and Walsall Council.

 

b.     
Transfer of development projects and their funding affected by the
transfer of functions from Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council,
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and Walsall Council to Black
Country Transport.

 

c.     
Transfer of external staff whose roles are affected by the transfer
of functions from the strategic transport teams at Dudley
Metropolitan Borough Council, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
and Walsall Council through a Transfer of Undertakings (Protection
of Employment) (TUPE) where applicable.

 

d.     
A restructure of City of Wolverhampton Council’s Strategic
Transport team and the movement of affected staff and functions
from this team to the Black Country Transport team under a change
of line management.

 

e.     
The funding principles outlined in Section 6 of the report to fund
the team and its projects.

 

f.       
As part of the Collaboration Agreement, City of Wolverhampton
Council would:

 

i.       
Agree to share unrecoverable Black Country Transport team costs
equally across the four Black Country authorities.

 

ii.      
Agree to the governance and structures set out in the Collaboration
Agreement.

 

iii.    
Agree to share project liability between the respective authorities
involved in a project.
 
5.     
That it be noted, a detailed communications plan had been prepared
to identify the various stakeholder groups who need to be
consulted, engaged, or informed of this work.

 

6.     
That the progress towards the harmonisation of Information
Technology systems to facilitate effective working practices
through a data sharing agreement between the four authorities be
noted.

 

7.     
That it be noted, there is a requirement to provide a workspace for
Black Country Transport (BCT) team collaboration within the City of
Wolverhampton Council as well as within the other three Black
Country Authority buildings.

 

8.     
That it be noted, an additional 16 posts are being created within
the BCT team to ensure the team is fit for purpose
post-consolidation. These have been costed as part of the financial
case and would be opened for recruitment incrementally to meet
business needs providing there is available budget.

 

9.     
That it be noted, a detailed Equalities Impact Assessment has been
completed for this piece of work and approved by the Equality,
Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team (Appendix 2).

 

10.  
That it be noted, a Data Protection Impact Assessment has been
developed to enable the transfer of data between the authorities in
the project implementation phase.

 

11.  
That it be noted,  a target
implementation date of 1 April 2026 is proposed. The transfer of
staff, projects, and associated funding would only proceed
following the completion of TUPE consultations and the formal
execution of the collaboration agreement by all relevant
authorities.

 

12.  
That it5 be noted, the Individual Executive Decision Notice (IEDN)
relating to the sealing and signing of the Collaboration Agreement
would be executed immediately following Cabinet approvals at Dudley
Metropolitan Borough Council, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
and Walsall Council.