Agenda item

This report responds to concerns raised by Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee members at their meeting on 6th November 2008 and seeks approval for the transfer of some services from the City Strategy directorate to the Neighbourhood Services directorate, and between the Neighbourhood Services directorate and the Learning, Culture and Children’s Services directorate.

Members received a report which responded to concerns raised by Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee members at their meeting on 6th November 2008 and sought approval for the transfer of some services from the City Strategy directorate to the Neighbourhood Services directorate, and between the Neighbourhood Services directorate and the Learning, Culture and Children’s Services directorate.

The original report to the meeting on 6^th November 2008 was attached as Appendix 1 of the report.  In summary the changes proposed were:

·  Stage one of the transfer of the highway maintenance service including staff, budgets and functions from City Strategy directorate (CS) to the Neighbourhood Services directorate (NS), with responsibility for implementing stage two being delegated to the Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services;

·  The transfer of parking administration and enforcement services including staff, budgets and functions from CS to NS directorates.

·  The transfer of some grounds maintenance responsibilities from NS to Learning, Culture and Children’s Services directorate (LCCS), the client function for grounds maintenance (highways and housing) from LCCS to NS, and the client function for the maintenance of housing trees from CS to NS.

The report also sought approval for the Head of Civic, Democratic & Legal Services to be given delegated authority to amend the constitution in order to make changes to the Executive Member portfolios to reflect the changes in managerial responsibility. 

The report provided further information on the following issues, as requested at the previous meeting of the Committee:

·  Reassurance that the delivery of the services transferring to Neighbourhood Services would not be effected by the Director of Neighbourhood Services’ departure from the authority at the end of January 2009, including a detailed implementation plan for the transfer (attached as Appendix 2 of the report);

·  An explanation as to why the CCTV service would not be recommended to transfer from City Strategy to Neighbourhood Services as originally envisaged;

·  Clarification over the strategic highways functions that would remain within City Strategy.

In response to the comments made by the public speaker and the trade union representative (minute 21 refers), officers advised that the Arboricultural Officer would retain responsibility for the Council’s Tree Strategy and that the changes proposed were merely to operational arrangements.  They also confirmed that discussions had taken place with the postholder and that there were no plans to delete the post.

Members acknowledged the important work undertaken by the Arboricultural Officer and one Member expressed concern that the postholder did not feel he had been properly consulted on the proposals.

One Member expressed disappointment that the planned savings would not be made this year, and would have to be made up elsewhere in the revenue budget instead, and concern that officers were now making a different recommendation regarding the management of the CCTV control room to that made in May 2008.

Officers were thanked for their work producing the report and providing the additional information requested at the last meeting.

RESOLVED:(i) That Phase One of the transfer of services and staff from City Strategy to Neighbourhood Services, and from Neighbourhood Services to Learning, Culture & Children’s Services, as detailed in Annexes A-D of the original report, be approved;¹

(ii)That it be noted that minor adjustments may be made as a result of operational experience;

(iii)             That it be agreed that a report on Phase Two for the Highways part of the plan be brought to the Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services and Advisory Panel (EMAP) before the end of July 2009 and that this report will also detail how the anticipated £35k savings will be delivered in year;²

(iv)That it be agreed that the Head of Civic, Democratic & Legal Services be given delegated authority to amend the constitution to ensure that the Executive portfolios reflect the newly constituted lines of operational management within the effected directorates, as detailed in Annex E of the original report.³

REASON:                  To progress the Directorate Reorganisation agreed by the Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee in May 2008.