Articles of the Constitution

9.1 Arrangements to Promote Wellbeing

In order to exercise the general power of competence and to promote the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of the area and in the interests of the efficient discharge of a function or service Full Council, may:

• (a) enter into arrangements or agreements with any person or body;
• (b) co-operate with, facilitate or co-ordinate the activities of, any person or body; and
• (c) exercise on behalf of that person or body any functions of that person or body.

Full Council will appoint or make appointments to the Joint Committees and Partnership Boards to exercise the functions as set out below.

9.2 Joint Committees:

(a) Joint Archives Committee

The Joint Archives Committee is a joint committee of the Boroughs of Hartlepool, Stockton, Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland to manage documentary and other historic material through a Joint Archive Service, following the abolition of Cleveland County Council.

(b) Emergency Planning Joint Committee

The Emergency Planning Joint Committee is a Committee of the four constituent unitary Local Authorities. The Committee meets quarterly to monitor the delivery of the Cleveland Emergency Planning Unit against its financial management, performance in line with its annual plan, and to hear feedback upon incidents and lessons learned across the Cleveland area. The Committee is authorised to agree budgetary provision from the four Authorities to the Emergency Planning Unit.

(c) Police and Crime Panel

A Joint Committee for the Boroughs of Hartlepool, Stockton, Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland to fulfil the functions within the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, including scrutiny of the elected Police and Crime Commissioner for the Cleveland Police Force Area.

(d) Collaborative Procurement Sub Group

A Sub Committee comprising of 12 Elected Members from the 12 North East Local Authorities (one from each) established as a means of joint contracting for pooling purchase power, knowledge and expertise. The function is to deliver value for money, efficiencies and savings within the public sector including the development of the local economy wherever possible.

9.3 Partnership Boards

(a) Children’s Strategic Partnership

The Children’s Strategic Partnership is a partnership between the Local Authority and Education Representatives comprising representation from schools, academies and higher education/further education college representatives together with representation from young people within the Borough, employer and regional representation as determined.

The Board provides strategic oversight of the delivery of the Education Improvement Strategy to realise the ambition to provide a first class education for every Hartlepool learner. The Board will determine an annual action plan measuring outcomes against the strategy and identify and commit the necessary resources required to carry out the relevant actions and activities.

(b) Health and Wellbeing Board

Following the transfer of public health duties to the Authority under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, the Health and Wellbeing Board was set up to advise the Authority, local health organisations and Integrated Care Boards on improving the health and wellbeing of the people of Hartlepool through integrated health and social care services. The Board is responsible for preparing a Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

The Board is a partnership involving the Authority, the National Health Service and a range of public and voluntary partner organisations.

(c) Safer Hartlepool Partnership

The Safer Hartlepool Partnership is a partnership of the Authority and a range of other public and voluntary agencies which aims to create a confident and safe local community by working together to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and substance misuse in Hartlepool. The partnership is responsible for the development and implementation of a range of plans including the Community Safety Plan and the Youth Justice Strategic Plan.

(d) Hartlepool Education Partnership (HEP)

The Hartlepool Education Partnership (HEP) is a partnership between the Local Authority and Education/Multi Agency Representatives comprising representation from schools, academies and higher education/further education college representatives together with representation from health, social services, youth services and early years. The Board provides strategic oversight of the delivery of the Hartlepool Education Plan to realise the ambition to provide a first class education for every Hartlepool learner.

Responsibility for the functions of the above Joint Committees and Partnership Boards are contained in Part 3 of this Constitution.

9.4 Face the Public – Statutory Partnerships

In accordance with statutory guidance the Safer Hartlepool Partnership and the Health and Wellbeing Board will each hold one Face the Public Event a year.

These events will be open to Elected Members and the public. The statutory partners will undertake to be responsible for:

• (a) Updating those attending on their work during the last year;
• (b) Inform those attending on their future plans including future challenges;
• (c) Consulting and engaging with residents on the development of key partner strategies and plans for the Borough;
• (d) Receiving and responding to questions from those attending on their work, future plans and priorities.

These meetings will be chaired by the Chair of the Safer Hartlepool Partnership and the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board as appropriate.

9.5 Other Local Joint Committees

(a) Local Joint Consultative Committee

The Local Joint Consultative Committee comprising four Members of the Council and to include only those Members who are not Members of the Finance and Corporate Affairs Committee or Appeals Committee, four Trade Union representatives and four Senior Officers. The function is to resolve disputes where there is a formal failure to agree between the Authority and the Trade Unions. This will enable the views of members to be considered and make recommendations to be referred to Finance and Corporate Affairs Committee for decision.

9.6 Joint arrangements

The Authority may establish joint arrangements with one or more local authorities to exercise functions. Such arrangements may involve the appointment of a joint committee with other local authorities. 

Information about any joint arrangements including any delegations to joint committees is contained in the Authority’s scheme of delegations in Part 3 of this Constitution. Details of representation on Joint Committees can be found in Part 7 of this Constitution.

9.7 Access to information

The Access to Information Rules in Part 4 of this Constitution apply.

The access to information rules in Part VA of the Local Government Act 1972 will apply to the Joint Committee.

9.8 Delegation to and from other local authorities

Full Council may delegate functions to another local authority or, in certain circumstances, the Chief Executive of another local authority.

The decision whether or not to accept such a delegation from another local authority shall be reserved to Full Council.

9.9 Contracting out

The Authority may contract out to another body or organisation functions which may be exercised by an Officer and which are subject to an order under section 70 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 or under contracting arrangements where the contractor acts as the Authority’s agent under usual contacting principles, provided there is no delegation of the Authority’s discretionary decision making.

9.10 Joint arrangements with other public bodies

Under Section 75 of the National Health Service Act 2006, Section 10 of the Children’s Act 2004 and the provisions of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, local authorities, health bodies and others have powers to delegate the exercise of certain functions to each other and to co-operate in the exercise of their functions.