Issue - meetings

This report presents a proposal, and recommendations, for restructuring of roles at Assistant Director level across the City of York Council.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the proposals put forward for an Assistant Director structure, with functional responsibilities as determined in the body of the report, be approved.

                        (ii)        That it be noted that the new Assistant Director posts will require grading through the Council’s agreed grading structure and that this is to be delegated to the Head of Paid Services.

                        (iii)       That a further report be brought to the Executive, with options to address the overall management of key capital projects.

REASON:      In order to achieve the objective of a smaller, more strategic management team providing more customer-focused services.

Members considered a report which presented proposals and recommendations for the restructuring of roles at Assistant Director level across the Council.

The proposals were intended to achieve a smaller, more strategic management team, delivering more responsive, flexible and customer-focused services, an improved city-wide approach to securing economic prosperity for York, integrated service provision with partners and net savings of £1.658m.  They had been shaped by feedback from extensive consultation, key findings from which were set out in paragraphs 10 to 16 of the report.  The consultation briefing papers from each directorate were attached as annexes 1-5.

The proposals, set out in paragraphs 22 to 33, would reduce the number of Assistant Director (AD) posts by six.  In respect of each directorate, they involved:

Chief Executive’s Office – one AD, responsible for Policy, Performance & Partnerships.

City Strategy – three ADs, responsible for Economy & Asset Management, Strategic Planning & Transport and Planning & Sustainability (saving £85k).

Communities & Neighbourhoods – three ADs, responsible for Environment, Housing & Public Protection and Communities & Culture (including Equalities) (saving £170k).

Adults, Children & Education – five ADs, delivered over 2 phases, responsible for Adult Assessment, Adult Provision, Integrated Commissioning, Children’s Social Care, School Organisation and School Improvement (saving £170k).

Customer & Business Support Services – three ADs, responsible for Financial Services, Customers & People and Legal & Governance (saving £85k).

Having noted the comments of the Labour Group Spokespersons on this item, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That the proposals put forward for an Assistant Director structure, with functional responsibilities as determined in the body of the report, be approved. ¹

                        (ii)        That it be noted that the new Assistant Director posts will require grading through the Council’s agreed grading structure and that this is to be delegated to the Head of Paid Services.

                        (iii)       That a further report be brought to the Executive, with options to address the overall management of key capital projects. ²

REASON:      In order to achieve the objective of a smaller, more strategic management team providing more customer-focused services.