Decision Maker: Executive

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: October 9, 2025

Purpose:

Content: Decision: 1.       Establish a Joint Executive Committee with Waverley Borough Council’s Executive, (subject to the decision of the Executive of Waverley Borough Council), with the terms of reference as set out at Appendix 1 to this report; and 2.       That the Executive recommends that the Standards Committee resolves to ‘Note the establishment of the new Joint Executive Committee with Waverley Borough Council and recommend to Council that the Monitoring Officer is delegated the authority to make the necessary and consequential amendments to the Guildford Borough Council Constitution’. Reason(s): 1.       Guildford and Waverley Borough Councils have established several shared services with executive functions, including a shared Legal Service, Governance Team and Executive Support Team, as part of their journey of collaborative working. 2.       The Governance model for such shared services is that Guildford Borough Council has delegated the executive function for Waverley Borough Council to carry out on their behalf. 3.       To ensure that Guildford Borough Council does not lose control of sovereignty of decision making, it is important that all Executive decisions relating to those shared services is undertaken by both Councils’ Executives. Rather than duplicate the decision making process, both Executives making collective decisions as part of a joint committee is a governance arrangement that is agile, quick, presents less risk and embraces collaborative working. Other options considered and rejected by the Executive: To not establish a Joint Executive Committee with Waverley Borough Council, leaving Waverley Borough Council to make decisions on services being delivered by them on behalf of, or to, Guildford in accordance with the delegated authority. Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted: None.