Agenda item

This report proposes a management re-structure of the Directorate of Learning, Culture and Children’s Services and seeks approval for re-grading a number of posts that are subject to significant variations in the job description.

Members received a report which proposed a management re-structure of the Directorate of Learning, Culture and Children’s Services and sought approval for re-grading a number of posts that were subject to significant variations in the job description.

The report was being considered by the Urgency Committee because the recruitment process needed to start as soon as possible to avoid a gap in the management of key services.

Paragraph 5 of the report set out the key principles on which the proposed reorganisation was based.  The proposed structure, set out in Annex 2 of the report, was based on five service arms, each led by an Assistant Director and each providing a grouping together of services that benefited from sharing the same line management arrangements:

·  School Improvement and Staff Development;

·  Children and Families;

·  Resource Management;

·  Lifelong Learning and Culture;

·  Partnership Working and Early Intervention.

The report presented four options for consideration:

·  Option 1 – to retain the current structure on a temporary basis until the appointment of a new Director of Learning, Culture and Children’s Services;

·  Option 2 – to adopt the proposed structure as shown in Annex 2 of the report;

·  Option 3 – to modify the proposed structure;

·  Option 4 – to request officers to develop an alternative structure based on different principles from those outlined in paragraph 5 of the report.

Councillor Merrett expressed concern regarding the timing of the proposed re-structure, in terms of imposing new arrangements on a new director, leaving him or her with no chance to mould the directorate, and given the possibility of a change in administration at the elections in May 2007 and that they may have different views on the proposals.

Councillor Merrett also raised a number of detailed queries regarding the proposals in the report.  He queried the need for a partnerships post at Assistant Director level and questioned whether the grading for the post of Assistant Director (Lifelong Learning & Culture) needed to be reviewed given the reduction in responsibilities proposed.  He also expressed the view that the proposed job descriptions in Annex 3 were traditional and narrow, lacking adequate references to partnership working and not reflecting the corporate priorities.  He sought clarification regarding the separate reserve that had been set aside for if some posts required further re-grading and officers explained that this would only be necessary if the proposed grades were not competitive in the employment market and recruitment proved to be difficult.

RESOLVED:             That Option 2 be approved and the proposed structure, as shown in Annex 2 of the report, be adopted.

REASON:                  In order to provide a new management structure for Learning, Culture and Children’s Services.