Agenda item

Changes to the Senior Management Structure

Minutes:

Background:

 

This report provided a summary of the responses received to the consultation process, approved by Cabinet on 27 October 2015, on proposals for a slimmer senior management structure.

 

The report outlined the principles guiding the review, which included a commitment to front line services, the delivery of savings and efficiencies and a structure that was fit for purpose. It was also noted that responding to the financial challenges confronting the Council was a key driver in proposing a reduced senior management structure.

 

The existing and proposed structure charts were attached at Appendices 2 – 5 to the report.

 

It was noted that in total 13 responses had been received during the 30 day consultation period. These had been reviewed by the Chief Executive and the Director of Regeneration, Community and Culture and the report set out the themes from across the consultation responses, together with an outline of the consideration and outcome. A summary of the anonymised responses was set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

 

A Diversity Impact Assessment was attached at Appendix 6 to the report and based on the evidence available it was recommended to proceed with the proposed changes to the senior management structure.

 

As changes to the senior management structure were a matter for Full Council, Cabinet was asked to consider the consultation responses and make recommendations to Full Council on 21 January 2016. The constitutional changes required as a consequence of proposed changes to the senior management structure would also be reported to the Council meeting.

 

Decision number:

Decision:

1/2016

The Cabinet, having carefully and fully considered the consultation responses using the principles for reviewing senior management outlined the report, recommended Full Council:

a)    to delete the following posts:

                    i.       Deputy Director Regeneration Community and Culture

                   ii.       Assistant Director Customer Contact, Democracy and Governance

                  iii.       Assistant Director Communications, Performance and Partnerships

                 iv.       Assistant Director Organisational Services

                   v.       Assistant Director Housing and Regeneration

                 vi.       Head of Greenspaces, Heritage and Libraries

                vii.       Head of Regeneration and Economic Development

               viii.       Head of LGF Projects.

 

b)   to agree that the new directorate be named Regeneration, Culture, Environment and Transformation, in order to capture the importance of environmental services for residents and to reflect the priorities of the Administration.

 

c)    to agree that the following new posts should be created in the Regeneration, Culture, Environment and Transformation directorate:

                    i.          Assistant Director Transformation

                    ii.        Assistant Director Physical and Cultural Regeneration

                   iii.        Head of Transformation

                   iv.        Head of Regeneration Delivery.

 

d)   to agree to change the job title of Assistant Director Legal and Corporate Services to Chief Legal Officer.

 

e)    to agree to transfer responsibility for Elections and Members’ Services and Democratic Services to the Chief Legal Officer.

 

f)     to note the proposals laid out in 4.3.1 of the report regarding the transfer of Grounds Maintenance to Norse and taking account of the budget set on 25 February 2016.

 

g)   to agree to continue to integrate public health services across the Council noting that the Director of Public Health (DPH) was a joint appointment with Public Health England and there would be a vacancy from March 2016, the Chief Executive would make recommendations to Members in due course on options for filling this post.

 

h)   to agree that the organisational change will be undertaken, creating the new Regeneration, Culture, Environment and Transformation directorate (Appendix 4 to the report) and revised Chief Executive and Business Support Department (Appendix 5 to the report) on 1 April 2016.

 

Reasons:

 

To accord with the Council’s Constitution and policies, where restructuring of this nature is proposed, a report back to Cabinet with the outcome of the consultation exercise and ultimately a report to Council for the final decision is required.

Supporting documents: