Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Janice Bamber (Customer First and Corporate Services). 

There were none.  

This report set out a number of proposed reductions in staffing in response to the Council’s reduction in funding, to which approval to commence consultation was sought. It was reported that the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review had been announced on 20 October 2010 which proposed the changes to Central Government spending over the next four years. This had been followed by the provisional Local Government settlement on 13 December 2010 which led to the Council identifying a funding gap of £23.5m for 2011/2012, as reported to Cabinet on 21 December 2010.

It was noted that staff consultations had already commenced where reorganisations and staffing reductions were within Directors’ delegated authority. This report set out a number of posts affected by proposed reorganisations, which could have significant service or policy implications together with the impact of the proposed reductions.

An addendum report was tabled at the meeting which identified further reorganisation proposals to which approval to commence consultation was sought.

The proposals affected the following service areas: School Improvement Service; Safer Communities; Conservation Service; Tourism and Heritage Service; Tree Team; Democratic Services/Members Services; Empty Homes and Energy Efficiency Team; Planning Policy and Design Service; Development Management; Visitor Information Centre and the Economic Development and Social Regeneration Service.

Diversity Impact Assessment screening exercises had been undertaken on the individual proposals and were attached at appendix 2 to both the main report and addendum report. It was noted the reductions proposed to the social regeneration team would not impact adversely on minority ethnic groups because the service would continue its community cohesion work within its proposed revised staffing structures. This would mitigate against a possible disproportionate impact on minority ethnic groups. The impact would continue to be monitored closely to ensure that any unidentified and unintended negative impact is recognised and responded to.

The Chairman of the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee had agreed to waive call in on recommendation 7.1 in the addendum report on the basis that this was reasonable in all the circumstances and to it being treated as a matter of urgency in accordance with Rule 16.11 of the Overview and Scrutiny Rules (Part 5 of Chapter 4 in the Constitution).

Reasons:

To respond to the reduction in funding from April 2011.