21 Voluntary severance scheme and restructuring (report)
PDF 150 KB
The report updates the Committee on plans to
avoid compulsory redundancies arising from the requirement to
reduce spending by £29m in the current financial year.
Committee to note the report for
information.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Committee
received a report from the Service Director, Human Resources and
Workplace, and considered the public forum statement by Steve
Paines, Unite in conjunction with this item. The report
updated the Committee on plans to avoid compulsory
redundancies arising from the requirement to reduce spending by
£29m in the current financial year. The Committee is asked to note the
report.
In discussion the following points were
made:
- The speed of implementation had been
unsettling for some staff. There had been some delays in the
Council responding to voluntary severance applications, many
applications had been rejected and there appeared to be a lack of
consistency across the departments.
- Schemes had been introduced to
assist staff through this process which included, weekly meetings,
a staff options day, careers advice, interview skills.
- 650 people had expressed an interest
in voluntary severance. 140 applications had been agreed and
implemented. Further reductions were
expected between now and next March.
There would be more clarity after the Medium Term Financial
Strategy proposals are announced in October. The Mayor had requested the use of reserves to
help plug the funding gap.
- Central government had delayed
implementation of the £95k cap and Treasury guidance on the
use of the Full Council waiver had yet to be published. 106 employees in the organisation could be
affected.
- The budget consultation would
address the Council’s service provision and inform the future
shape of the organisation. There was currently a lot of cost in the
middle of the council’s workforce structure. The cost benefits of outsourcing over in-house
provision would need to be challenged through category management
and procurement, but was not a one-sided approach and would need to
be nuanced to create the biggest impact.
- Voluntary Severance to be placed on
the work programme as a standing item for future meetings.
Action: James Brereton
The Committee
RESOLVED:
(i)
To note the report and actions arising