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 the Children and Young People’s Department (agreed by the Employment and Appointments Committee on 29 September 2011, Minute No. 33 refers), and be appointed as Deputy Chief Executive to provide support and handover to the new Chief Executive;

o  Julia Hassall to continue as Acting Director of Children’s Services until a permanent appointment is made; and

o  Chris McCarthy to continue as Interim Director of Technical Services. 

(3)  the following posts be created:

o  Strategic Director: Families and Wellbeing

o  Strategic Director: Transformation and Resources

o  Strategic Director: Regeneration and Environment

(4)  the grade for the Strategic Director posts be equivalent to the current Deputy Chief Executive (DCE) grade: £109,626 - £121,807, and this grade be re-designated to Strategic Director grade (SD). The Council’s Pay Policy to be amended accordingly and approved by Council;

(5)  the Director of Public Health assumes responsibility for Policy, and the post be re-named as The Director of Policy, Performance and Public Health;

(6)  the post of Head of Policy at EPO12 grade be established and the recruitment process be commenced;

(7)  the two Officers working directly on the Council’s Improvement Plan, as detailed in section 6.5 of the report, move to the Policy, Performance and Public Health area, and be re-designated as the Improvement Team with amended job descriptions to be determined, and that the Business and Performance Manager be seconded to work with the Improvement Team on a part-time basis;

(8)  the services detailed within the report be re-organised, budgets re- aligned and appropriate delegations agreed. It is recommended that the next Cabinet receive the appropriate virement of financial resources to meet the structure changes;

(9)  the post of Strategic Director: Families and Wellbeing is advertised in September 2012, and that a proportional Sub Committee of the Employment and Appointments Committee is established to complete the recruitment process;

(10)  the posts  of Strategic Director: Transformation and Resources and Strategic Director: Regeneration and Environment, are filled on an interim or acting up basis, until the outcomes of the Chief Officer investigations are known; 

(11)  the Chief Executive brings back a further report in relation to the further senior management restructure, including details of financial savings; and

(12)  the Chief Executive undertakes all requisite employment actions and steps arising from the above recommendations including all necessary and appropriate consultation with Chief Officers (as part of the next stage of this restructure process) in line with the Council’s relevant policies, which shall include placing all affected Council officers ‘at risk’ of redundancy.