Agenda item

As discussed at the last meeting, the Chief Executive has responded to an invitation and will be attending to present details on the realignment of services intended to better deliver the Business Plan. The restructure was communicated to councillors in a special Elected Wire on 8 June 2011 – copy attached for ease of reference. As a consequence, the Chief Executive will be assuming direct responsibility for Finance (including procurement) and Legal and Democratic Services (including scrutiny).

Scrutiny members will be aware that details on the corporate Business Plan implementation programme are awaited. However the 12 main projects forming the programme are known and are shown in the attached list. The detail will be reported to the select committees following approval by CLT and Cabinet Liaison. This will then enable discussions to take place between directors, executive members and leading scrutiny members on revised scrutiny forward work plans to ensure a focus on priorities and best use of resources.

It is also hoped that discussions will include the way in which the executive would wish to engage with scrutiny for mutual benefit. The draft executive/scrutiny relationship protocol approved by the OS Liaison Board (and discussed at the Standards Committee’s Constitution Focus Group) back in March is awaiting adoption. It is hoped that this will define future positive engagement.

The need for a major review of overview and scrutiny arrangements was highlighted at the last meeting. The outcome of discussions on the above will influence the review which will be initiated in the form of a discussion paper to the next Liaison Board on 28 July. Contributions from all interested parties will be encouraged to ensure future arrangements are supported and fit for purpose.

The Committee is asked to note the views of the Chief Executive in respect of the service realignment, corporate implementation programme and review of overview and scrutiny arrangements.

The Chief Executive was in attendance to update the Committee on the recent realignment of services and associated matters.

Confirmation was provided that a review of the management structures throughout the organisation had been conducted to ensure the authority was fit to deliver the business and financial plans.

A copy of the revised structure in relation to the Chief Executive’s area was circulated for Committee members’ consideration where the following was highlighted:

·         The realignment incorporated the preference for the Director of Finance, Section 151 Officer and Governance Officer to report directly to the Chief Executive to ensure the authority remained fit for purpose whilst the significant changes taking place over the life of the business plan were underway.

·         The Corporate Director for Community Services would take responsibility for housing to ensure symmetry of housing services with adult social care.

·         The Service Director for Policy, Performance and Partnerships would now report directly to the Corporate Director for Children & Education and form part of an expanded Corporate Leadership Team.

·         The Neighbourhood and Planning directorate had been renamed Operations as this provided better clarity on the Corporate Director’s responsibility.

·         The Resources directorate had been renamed Transformation and Resources.  As a result the Transformation Programme Director would report directly to the Corporate Director within this directorate. 

In addition clarification was provided that the contract for the Chief Finance Officer, had been revised and extended to March 2012 to ensure continuity of service during the budget setting process in February 2012.

The realignment of service as detailed had been agreed at the Officer Appointments Committee which took place on the morning of 14 July.  Acknowledgement was given to the Service Director for HR and Organisational Development who had worked tirelessly to ensure as smooth as possible process had been undertaken whilst adhering to the legal requirements to inform those posts affected which had been the case throughout all of the harmonisation and review period.

Members expressed concern as to whether the realigned service was resilient as further resources had been removed from the authority and this could impact on the services provided.  The Chief Executive clarified that for the most part, the service delivery should remain as already set but that reviews would continue during the next 2 to 3 years to ensure the service provision remained fit for purpose as further details emerged in relation to central government plans, including the Localism Bill and Health and Social Care Bill.

A Transformation Programme Working Committee, chaired by the Corporate Director Transformation & Resources, would manage the 8 identified transformation programmes within the Corporate Programme.  The finalised programmes would include measurements to monitor their effectiveness.

In terms of Public Health and Protection, a joint strategy meeting with hospital providers and GPs was to take place which would include discussion on Health and Wellbeing Boards.  Although delays had occurred due to the listening exercise undertaken by central government, budgets continued to be developed until further clarity on the Bills became available.

A management programme outlining the principal purposes of each of the 12 programmes would be provided by the Chief Executive following the meeting.  This would assist the individual select committees in highlighting further areas for potential scrutiny alongside the resulting implementation plans and scorecards arising thereafter.

The Chief Executive confirmed the importance of scrutiny engagement to ensure the Council remained open, honest and transparent with policy development and acknowledged that top performing Councils across the country had strong scrutiny involvement.

The Scrutiny Manager confirmed that a discussion document on reviewing scrutiny arrangements had been drafted and would be circulated to the Liaison Board prior to wider circulation and comment by Group Leaders and CLT.  Comments received from the Committee would be taken into consideration within the discussion paper.

Resolved:

To thank the Chief Executive for his attendance and note the comments received and await further details of each of the aforementioned 12 programmes, including implementation plans and score cards, so that an effective scrutiny exercise can be devised and applied to the Business Plan.