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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee |
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Date |
1 February 2022 |
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Present |
Councillors Aspden (Chair), D'Agorne (Vice-Chair), Hook and Kilbane |
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Apologies |
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55. Declarations of Interest
At this point in the meeting, Members were asked to declare if
they had any personal interests not included on the Register of
Interests or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests
that they might have had in the business on the agenda. There were none.
56. Public Participation
It was reported that there had one registration to speak at
the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
Cllr Webb noted that vulnerable children and the department needed stability, which he felt it had not had due to multiple department restructures. He expressed that he felt senior management restructures had been carried out to cover for issues and costs relating to issues highlighted in the Public Interest Report, relating to the involvement of the Leader of the Council and the exit of the former Chief Executive. Finally he asked that regardless of the decision, that sufficient time be given to allow the Adult’s and Children’s Services to succeed.
57. People Directorate Restructure
Officers introduced the report and outlined that two previous restructures had taken place in recent years. It was confirmed that the savings identified in the first restructure were unaffected by the options provided in the report. It was confirmed that the Council had faced challenges recruiting to the Corporate Director of People and the Assistant Director of Children’s Services. The Chief Operating Officer recommended the Committee support Option 3 in the report. This would create two Corporate Director posts and two Director posts replacing the Corporate Director of People post and the Assistant Director of Children’s Services post.
Members enquired about the costs and savings related to the two prior restructures and the proposed structure. It was confirmed that savings made in previous restructures were unchanged and the proposed £40,000 would be a growth cost in the directorates budget. The success of the previous restructures was raised in relation to the directorate, and officers noted that they deemed the previous restructure to be a success which facilitated closer working between Adults and Children’s services. However, they noted that the inability to recruit to the posts previously noted meant that it was appropriate to propose the restructure.
The Committee noted that this would create an additional Corporate Director post if option 3 was agreed, and enquired whether sufficient duties would be assigned to the posts, noting that this was originally adjudged to be capable of a single post. Officers confirmed that the two proposed Corporate Director posts had been graded and would contain the relevant reasonability’s, duties, and budget for them to be Corporate Director roles. The Committee therefore requested that evaluation of the posts be shared with committee members, as well as a structure chart of all management positions in the Council.
Current support for Children’s Services was discussed and officers noted that the interim arrangements had supported the services well and were reviewing how to support social workers. Officers did note however, that services would benefit from a solution to the current turnover of Assistant Director posts and above. The Council’s poor performance in its previous OFSTED review was raised by Members. Members enquired about whether the Council would now expect a more favourable review, officers noted that they were unable to predict future OFSTED reviews.
The Committee discussed the recruitment process and agreed to establish of an Appointments Sub-Committee for the Chief Officer appointments for the newly created roles in line with the HR Management of Change procedures. This included the delegation of sufficient powers to the Sub-Committee enabling them to conduct the recruitment process, select and appoint a candidate, subject to the requirements of the standing orders on appointment. Members noted that the previous two attempts to recruit to the current Corporate Director post had been unsuccessful, and they noted the importance of recruitment to the post for the delivery of services. They requested that once the Appointment Sub-Committee had been created and the recruitment process agreed that its recommendations be brought back to the Committee.
The Committee voted 3 in favour of supporting option 3 and Cllr Kilbane abstained, noting that he felt insufficient information was provided in order to vote in favour of option 3. Cllr Kilbane also noted that he felt the restructures of the department were a result of trying to covering the financial costs associated with the exit of the previous Chief Executive of the Council and had resulted in people requiring Children’s or Adult’s services potentially receiving a weaker service.
Resolved:
i. That the Committee approved Option 3 within in the report to delete of the following roles; Corporate Director of People, Director of Prevention, Commissioning and Education, Director of Safeguarding (Children’s and Adults), and Assistant Director of Children’s Services. As well as, agreeing to the creation of the following roles; Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Integration, Corporate Director of Children and Education, Director of Adults Safeguarding, and Director of Children’s Safeguarding;
ii. The Committee Noted that the existing roles of Assistant Director of Education and Assistant Director of Adults Services will remain in the structure as per their current grades;
iii. The Committee confirmed the pay package (salary and relocation package) for the vacant roles to be advertised for the Corporate Director of Children and Education and Director of Children’s Services;
iv. The Committee agreed to establish an Appointments Sub-Committee for the Chief Officer Appointments for the newly created roles in line with the HR Management of Change procedures. To delegate sufficient powers to the Sub-Committee enabling them to conduct the recruitment process, select and appoint a candidate, subject to the requirements of the standing orders on appointment;
v. That the evaluation of the Corporate Director posts grading be shared with Committee members;
vi. That a structure chart of managerial posts in the Council be shared with Committee members.
Reason: To allow appointment to the vacant posts identified as part of the restructure Option 3 as outlined in this report to be made.
58. Work Plan
The Committee considered their work plan for 2021/22 and agreed that the Amendment to the Council's LGPS Discretions Policy to
Implement a Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contribution
Scheme be brought to the Committees meeting on the 15 February 2022 and an item on Workforce demographics be brought to the Committees 21 March 2022.
Resolved:
i. That the work plan be agreed with the addition of the Amendment to the Council's LGPS Discretions Policy to Implement a Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contribution Scheme be brought to the Committees meeting on the 15 February 2022 and Workforce Demographics be brought to the Committees 21 March 2022.
Reason: To ensure the Committee maintains a program of work for 2021-22.
Cllr Aspden, Chair
[The meeting started at 4.00 pm and finished at 4.36 pm].