Decision details

The Assistant Director, Human Resources, introduced the managing change policy and procedure which set out the rationale for the revisions and principal changes proposed.  She referred to the key principles that underlay the approach and that the intention was for organisational change to be seen as a normal part of local authority improvement and efficiency activity.  Staff redundancies would be kept to a minimum where practical and the focus would be on transferable skills and strengthening redeployment procedures. The Assistant Director referred to the importance of keeping staff informed and for any processes to be seen to be fair.  She then outlined the processes for assimilation, ring-fencing and skill matching to achieve skills continuity where possible which had been revised to encourage flexibility.  Legal advice had taken place to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and consultation had also taken place with the trade unions.

In discussion, the Assistant Director clarified that every effort would be made to match potentially redundant employees to new jobs and help them adapt to their new roles.  She also assured that managers already took into consideration the cost effectiveness of retraining and this would continue under the new change management regime.  Members also questioned the arrangements for appeal and were advised that decisions would be reviewed by a senior manager unrelated to the post, to ensure objective oversight.

RESOLVED:-

(i)         that approval be give to the content of the new Managing Change Policy and Procedure;

(ii)        that training and development initiatives be put in place by the Corporate Learning and Development Team, to equip managers and HR personnel for their new roles under the new policy and procedure;

(iii)       that the Assistant Director, Human Resources, be authorised to determine the effective date at which the new Managing Change Policy and Procedure was implemented across the Council, such as to ensure by that date the above mentioned training and development initiatives have been put in place to ensure effective implementation;

(iv)       that the Assistant Director, Human Resources, be authorised, after consultation with the Borough Solicitor and then consultation with the relevant trade unions, to amend the Managing Change Policy and Procedure from time to time.