Agenda item
Senior manager restructuring proposals
- Meeting of General Purposes Committee, Wednesday 5 November 2014 6.00 pm (Item 9.)
- View the reasons why item 9. is restricted
This report outlines proposals for a further restructuring with two aims: refocusing the Council’s senior management and corporate centre to meet the substantial challenges the organisation must manage over the next period and inevitable reduction in staffing; further streamlining to deliver a £1.4 million saving in senior management costs.
Minutes:
The committee had before them a report from the Chief Executive detailing senior management restructuring proposals. The report was not for publication as it referred to exempt information as specified in the Local Government Act 1972.
In presenting the report the committee, Christine Gilbert (Chief Executive) acknowledged that the past four years had seen some of the most challenging financial conditions ever faced by local government and advised that the funding position for local government and the public sector over the next four years would become even more severe. The proposals set out in the report reflected the need to refocus the Council’s senior management and corporate centre to meet the associated challenges of this funding environment and to deliver further savings by streamlining senior management costs. Christine Gilbert provided a detailed overview of the proposed restructure which would deliver savings of £1.4m and advised that, subject to the committee’s approval, the statutory consultation period with staff would commence immediately.
In the subsequent discussion, members sought further detail regarding the rationale for elements of the proposal, including the placement within the structure of regulatory services, the web team and commissioning functions. It was queried whether the savings identified in the report accounted for redundancy costs and how the proposed structure compared to that of other London Boroughs. Members commented on the importance of working with the council’s partners and queried how this would be affected by the proposals.
Addressing the committee’s queries, Christine Gilbert explained that a review of regulatory services was currently underway and the suggested position within the new structure was anticipated to be a temporary solution pending the outcome of the review; however, further consideration could be given to this during the consultation period. Similarly, the proposed position of the web team could be re-examined during this time. The committee was reassured that the transfer of the commissioning functions from Adults did not remove the service delivery carried out by the department, which would retain appropriate oversight from the Strategic Director, Adults. The savings identified in the report did not account for redundancy costs but internal recruitment would be pursued before seeking to appoint externally. The resulting senior management team would be small compared to other London boroughs and it would be the responsibility of those at strategic director and operational director level to ensure that the council worked effectively with partner organisations. A further report would be submitted to the committee in due course following a review of terms and conditions to ensure that there was parity between the council and other local authorities.
RESOLVED:
That subject to staff consultation the following be agreed:
(i) The Environment and Neighbourhoods Department and the Assistant Chief Executive’s Service be deleted and their functions be reallocated as set out in section 4 of the report.
(ii) That the changes to the Regeneration and Growth Department as set out in section 4 of the report be made.
(iii) That the Chief Operating Officer’s Department be created as set out in section 4 of the report
(iv) That the commissioning functions from Adults, Children and Young People and Public Health be transferred to the new Strategic Commissioning Service in the Chief Operating Officer’s Department.
(v) That the posts set out at paragraph 2.5 of the report be deleted
(vi) That the following posts be created:
- Chief Operating Officer (at Strategic Director level)
- Operational Director, Strategic Commissioning and Business Intelligence
- Head of Procurement
- Operational Director, Community Services
- Head of Performance and Programme Management
- Chief Legal Officer
- Head of Partnership and Transformation
- Head of Culture
- Head of Digital Services
- Head of Brent Customer Services
(vii) That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to make such other changes as may be needed to give effect to the proposals in this report.