Agenda item

Report of Cabinet Member for Corporate Affairs and HR attached.

Councillor Tahir Rafiq, Cabinet Member for Corporate Affairs and HR, presented the report which outlined an update in respect of the restructure of the Children & Young People’s Department Senior Management Restructure. 

Decision:

Cabinet:

• noted the update on the Children & Young People’s Department Senior Management Restructure, including work to implement the new structure following conclusion of staff consultation.
• recommend that Council approve in principle the release of the Strategic Lead (Schools System) and disestablishment of their role following their request for Voluntary Early Retirement with Severance submitted through the consultation process. – This would attract severance costs of £37,409 (which will be met by the Department) and capital costs of £101,325 related to the early release of pension benefits (which will be met centrally by the fund held by the Greater Manchester Pension Fund on behalf of the Council for this purpose). (These costs will vary very slightly dependant on the exact leaving date).
• Agreed to delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Executive Director of Children and Young People, Director of People & Inclusion and the Cabinet Members for Children’s Services and HR and Corporate Affairs, final approval and the specific timing of redundancy linked to the completion of a number of strategic deliverables.
• recommend that Council approve the redesignation and revaluation of one of the two Assistant Director (Regeneration Delivery) roles (Chief Officer Band D, £83,865-£90,992) to Director of Regeneration and Project Delivery (Chief Officer Band E, £93,102 - £101,596) to reflect the transfer of responsibility for Schools’ Capital Development to this role and also an expanded remit in relation to housing growth and development following the departure of the former Director of Housing.

Reasons for recommendation(s):

• Following cabinet approval in January 2024, the Children & Young People’s Department has undertaken consultation with employees and trade unions in relation to a revised Senior Management structure.
• Following this consultation, final structural changes have now been agreed for implementation by the Executive Director of Children and Young People and the Cabinet Members for Children’s Services and HR and Corporate Affairs, in consultation with the Director of People and Inclusion, Monitoring Officer and S151 Officer in line with the agreement of Cabinet in January.
• Two aspects of these changes require separate and specific approval by Cabinet and, ultimately, Council in-line with the requirements of the Localism Act and the Council constitution. The deletion of the post of Strategic Lead (School System) and the subsequent Early Retirement of the post holder will:
  • Along with other measures in the restructure, result in an overall cost saving to the Council of circa £41k on an ongoing basis.
  • Allow for a delayering of tiers within the Education & Skills Division, bringing the Department fully into line with agreed organisational design principals.
  • Allow for a more balanced and coherent Education & Skills management team to support the Director of Education & Skills.
  • Allow for an improved alignment of functions both within the Department and wider Council to support the delivery of objectives.

The transfer of responsibility for school’s capital development into the current Assistant Director (Regeneration Delivery) role moves this function into the Council’s centre of expertise for capital development, alongside other similar functions to ensure work can be overseen and delivered coherently as part of the Council’s overarching Capital Programme

Alternative options considered and rejected:

The initial operating model, developed as a basis for consultation, included a structure in which the post of Strategic Lead (School System) was retained. However, feedback received during the consultation period and further consideration of options indicates that service priorities can be delivered in a more effective manner through the deletion of this role and transfer of functions to other areas of the service and wider Council.