Members are asked to consider whether they have any disclosable pecuniary or non pecuniary interests in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state the nature of the interest.

No declarations of interest were received.

A report by the Chief Executive set out proposals for the first stage of a restructuring of the management of the Council. 

The report set out the current management arrangements, proposed the creation of three Strategic Director posts, as follows, and detailed their proposed roles and areas of responsibility:

Strategic Director: Families and Wellbeing

Strategic Director: Transformation and Resources

Strategic Director: Regeneration and Environment

The report also proposed a new recruitment procedure. In addition to these three new posts, the existing posts of Head of Communication and Community Engagement and the Director of Public Health would report directly the Chief Executive. Under the proposals the Director of Public Health who had already assumed responsibility for performance and commissioning, would also assume responsibility for Policy. The role would be re-named as the Director of Policy, Performance and Public Health.

It was proposed that the Strategic Directors would deputise for the Chief Executive on a rotational basis in his absence, and that the grade for the posts would be equivalent to the current Deputy Chief Executive (DCE) grade: £109,626 - £121,807. It was proposed that this grade be re-designated to Strategic Director grade (SD). These grades had been benchmarked against comparable grades elsewhere in the region.

The additional cost of £365,421 would be met by reducing costs via the restructuring of the overall management function. This would be met in full by reducing costs via the restructuring of the overall management function, a further report in relation to review of senior management structures would be produced within three months.

In addition, the report sought approval to extend and confirm the current acting and interim senior management arrangements.

Members commented and closely questioned the Chief Executive on the content of his report.  The Chief Executive proposed that there would be significant reductions in the senior management structure which would generate substantial savings to feed into the budgetary process.

Members referred to the Chief Officers who were currently suspended pending investigations, and questioned the Chief Executive on how the senior management restructuring exercise could move forward in these circumstances.  The Chief Executive informed that the four Chief Officers had been consulted on the proposals and their responses had been received.  He had also taken internal and external legal advice.

Members also referred to the consultation arrangements outlined in paragraph 11.1 of the report. They expressed the view that future consultations around the proposed restructuring should be approached in a uniform way consistently applying policy.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)  the extension and confirmation of the following current senior management arrangements be referred and recommended to the Council for consideration and decision:

o  Surjit Tour as Acting Director of Law, HR and Asset Management and as Monitoring Officer.

o  Peter Timmins as Interim Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer.

o  Tom Sault as Deputy Section 151 Officer.

(2)  the extension and confirmation of the following current management arrangements be approved:

o  David Armstrong be assigned to the post of Deputy Director: Planning, Resources and Schools, within  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.