Agenda item

This report provides a summary of the consultation responses and asks Council to agree a set of recommendations on changes to the senior management structure following consideration by the Cabinet.

Discussion:

This report provided details of the outcome of the consultation process on changes to the senior management structure following Cabinet approval to consult on the proposals on 27 October 2015 and the subsequent report to Cabinet on 12 January 2016, which set out a summary of consultation responses. It was noted that proposals had been aimed at delivering a slimmer senior management structure which would be considered more effective and fit for purpose, reflecting the priorities and shape of the organisation today but, more importantly, the demands of the future.

The report detailed the recommendations from Cabinet together with a number of required changes to the Constitution.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken on the proposals, as set out in 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.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Jarrett, supported by the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Services, Councillor Doe, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.

Decision:

a)    The Council agreed to delete the following posts:

·         Deputy Director Regeneration Community and Culture

·         Assistant Director Customer Contact, Democracy and Governance

·         Assistant Director Communications, Performance and Partnerships

·         Assistant Director Organisational Services

·         Assistant Director Housing and Regeneration

·         Head of Greenspaces, Heritage and Libraries

·         Head of Regeneration and Economic Development

·         Head of LGF Projects.

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

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

·         Assistant Director Transformation

·         Assistant Director Physical and Cultural Regeneration

·         Head of Transformation

·         Head of Regeneration Delivery.

d)    The Council agreed to change the job title of Assistant Director Legal and Corporate services to Chief Legal Officer.

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

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

h)   The Council agreed 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.

i)     The Council agreed to designate the Head of Democratic Services as the Council’s statutory Scrutiny Officer with immediate effect and amend paragraph 11.1(b) in Article 11 of the Constitution accordingly.

j)      The Council agreed to approve other changes to Article 11 of the Constitution as set out in Appendix 7 to the report with effect from 1 April 2016.

k)    The Council agreed changes to the Employee Scheme of Delegation as set out in Appendix8 to the report, noting that the Leader of the Council will agree any changes to delegations relating to executive functions, with effect from 1 April 2016.

l)     The Council agreed, with effect from 1 April 2016, that scrutiny of all the areas of responsibility of the new Assistant Director Transformation, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Finance Officer should be within the terms of reference of the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee and that scrutiny of the responsibilities of the Director of Public Health should remain as set out in the current terms of reference of the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

m)  The Council agreed, with effect from 1 April 2016, that the current Regeneration, Community and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee be renamed the Regeneration, Culture and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee and that the Constitution be amended accordingly.

n)   The Council agreed, with effect from 1 April 2016, that responsibility for scrutiny of Bereavement and Registration Services should transfer from the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee to the Regeneration, Culture and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

o)    The Council noted that a revised senior management structure chart will replace the current chart at Chapter 7 of the Constitution.

p)    The Council authorised the Chief Legal Officer to substitute the correct Directorate titles and job titles throughout the Constitution to reflect the new Senior Management Structure insofar as this makes no changes to established practice or procedures.