Agenda item

This report recommends some changes to the senior management structure agreed in March 2013. Difficulties which emerged through the recruitment and selection process for two of the Strategic Directors have triggered a recent review. This review has also taken account of the increasing complexity and possible costs of the changes envisaged for adults’ social care. Charts outlining the current structure and the proposed structure are presented as Appendices 1 and 2.

Members considered a report that recommended some changes to the senior management structure agreed by this Committee in March 2013.  Members heard that the review had arisen as a result of difficulties which emerged in the recruitment and selection process for two of the Strategic Directors. The review had also taken account of the increasing complexity and possible costs of the changes envisaged for adults’ social care.

Christine Gilbert, Interim Chief Executive in introducing the report stated that successful appointments had been made to most of the senior management roles in the new structure agreed by this Committee in March 2013. She continued that Gatenby Sanderson, the consultants engaged to recruit to the vacant posts of Strategic Director, Governance and Corporate Services and Strategic Director, Education, Health and Social Care had reported a low response/quality rate following interviews and testing.  The recruitment consultants had therefore decided that there were insufficient high calibre candidates to produce an appropriate shortlist and in some cases, the candidates expected a much higher salary than was being offered by the Council for each post.  Gatenby had continued to search over the summer unsuccessfully.

The Interim Chief Executive therefore proposed to delete those two posts and in reference to the structure chart appended to the report, to create the post of Strategic Director, Children and Young People and also the post of Strategic Director, Adults. She clarified that the post of Strategic Director, Children and Young People would have management responsibility for the Operational Director, Early Help and Education and Operational Director, Children’s Social Care. This post would also carry more general strategic responsibility as a champion for children and young people across all council services.  The post of Strategic Director, Adults, would have management responsibility for adult social care with more general strategic responsibility for adults across all council services.

During discussions, Members queried the cost of the recruitment exercise and the rationale behind the proposed changes.  The Interim Chief Executive was asked to clarify the circumstances under which secondments from central government would be used to undertake senior level projects.

The Interim Chief Executive responded that the recruitment cost for each post was approximately £15,000 and that further reductions would be negotiated for the recruitment of the Strategic Director, Adults if possible.   The Interim Chief Executive clarified that suitably qualified personnel, who would be further assessed, would be sought from government agencies on secondment for periods of between  three and six month period. She then clarified the reporting lines in the proposed structure including that of the Director of Public Health and recommended the new structure becoming live, in line with business requirements, no later than March, 2014. Members noted that where vacant posts needed to be filled, existing acting up arrangements for Children’s and Families and Adult Social Care would remain in place until permanent appointments had been made to posts in the new structure.

RESOLVED:

that the revised structure be agreed as follows:

(a)          deletion of the posts of Strategic Director, Governance and Corporate Services and Strategic Director, Education, Health and Social Care;

(b)          deletion of the post of Operational Director, Adult Social Care;

(c)          establishment of the new post of Strategic Director, Adults;

(d)          establishment of new post of Strategic Director, Children and Young People;

(e)          the reporting line changes as outlined in paragraphs 4.8 of the report from the Interim Chief Executive.