Issue - meetings

Cabinet and Council have previously adopted our Organisational Design and Operating model as the basis of the BCP Council Transformation Strategy. This paper sets out an approach to accelerate the identification and delivery of savings that are consistent with both the ambitions and approach of our Transformation Programme in order to help the Council address the impact of the pandemic on the financial position.

RESOLVED that the proposed approach for the identification of accelerated savings proposals based on the wider transformation approach of the Council be approved.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Finance and Transformation

Reason

To support the delivery of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan while accelerating the delivery of benefits already identified within the Council’s Transformation Strategy.

The Leader presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'N' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was reminded that Cabinet and Council had previously adopted the Organisational Design and Operating model as the basis of the BCP Council Transformation Strategy, and that this paper set out an approach to accelerate the identification and delivery of savings that are consistent with both the ambitions and approach of our Transformation Programme in order to help the Council address the impact of the pandemic on the financial position.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board addressed Cabinet advising that at their recent meeting the Board resolved to make the following recommendation to Cabinet in respect of this item.

The Overview and Scrutiny Board recommended to Cabinet that it notes the proposed new approach and requests that the Council continue to consult staff extensively and ensures that adequate support is available to staff to ensure their wellbeing during the transformation process and that it continuously monitors the Council’s capacity, particularly within Children’s Services and Adult Services.

Councillor George Farquhar addressed the Cabinet expressing his support for the recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Board. In addition Councillor Farquhar questioned what the unions were doing in respect of the accelerated plan.

RESOLVED that the proposed approach for the identification of accelerated savings proposals based on the wider transformation approach of the Council be approved.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Finance and Transformation

To consider issues within the Transformation and Finance Portfolio area, including the following report scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 16 December 2020:

•     Organisational Design- Acceleration of Transformation Savings for 2021/22  Budget

The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise the report and make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate.

Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Drew Mellor, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Transformation and Finance.

The Chairman of the Children’s Services and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees have also been invited for consideration of this item.

The Cabinet report is attached for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

Organisational Design – Acceleration of Transformation Savings for 2021/22 Budget - The Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Transformation and Finance introduced the report, a copy of which had been circulated and which appears as Appendix ‘N’ to the Cabinet minutes of 16 December in the Minute Book. A number of issues were raised by the Board in the subsequent discussion, including:

·     In relation to Adult Social Care it was noted that most savings were to be found from pooling resources and significantly more investment would be going into this area. The consequences of the savings would be in back office functions and not frontline services.

·     In response to issues raised regarding communications with staff on the changes to be made the Leader of the Council advised that it was important to get people on the journey quickly in order to actually reduce instability. In the past departments had been asked to ‘top slice’ which had led to issues of capacity, but this approach was about ensuring a transformation across the Council. It was acknowledged that there were areas of the Council where there were capacity issues such as Children’s Services and Planning and investments would be made in these areas. A Councillor commented that it was important to ensure that capacity was measured, and the Leader advised that with the enterprise level approach this could be done.

·     A Board Member questioned whether the Leader had been in consultation with the recognised trade unions. The leader advised that he hadn’t as yet but would be happy to engage with them.

·     The Leader advised the Board that there hadn’t been any change in the overall figure from the previous administrations paper. A Board member commented that there was already streamlining in some areas, for example in licensing all three areas were coming under one policy and there were planning policies moving towards this.

·     In response to a question regarding staff engagement the Leader advised that there was a cultural change and this was being done with people and not to people in order to create something exciting, streamlined and efficient.

·     A Councillor asked about expanding apprenticeship schemes to help young people in the area and the Board was advised that they were looking to extend the care leavers scheme and welcomed more opportunities when we can.

·     There were concerns raised, as outlined in paragraphs 14 and 15 of the report, regarding the reduction in headcount occurring in advance of the adaptation of new technology and ways of working and that by doing so, asking people to do more before the systems were in place to be able to do this well. That by reversing the process was a danger of affecting the mental and physical health of employees.  It was noted that people would be brough together to work more efficiently and that more people were not always needed to do more work. Although it was agreed that this was more challenging, but it would ensure working  ...  view the full minutes text for item 105