Support Services Restructure
Decision:
*RESOLVED –
That the Head of Business Transformation be authorised to implement the proposals for a revised Support Services structure.
Minutes:
The Head of Business Transformation submitted proposals for a revised Support Services structure.
The restructure was intended to achieve savings while maintaining effective administrative support for Housing, Environment, Resources and Planning services.
Restructures affecting support staff working in other services had already been undertaken.
The proposals had been formulated by a Project Board chaired by the Executive Member for Governance and Organisational Development.
The objectives of the review were:
- to provide a fit for purpose Support Services function
- to secure a cashable saving for the General Fund
- to support the Great Place, Great Service transformation programme
- to increase responsiveness to demand
- to introduce new technology to increase efficiency.
The example of Derby City Council showed how the restructuring and centralisation of Support Services could make savings and achieve economies of scale. By standardising practices, increasing flexibility within teams, improving coordination and more effectively managing the distribution of workload, savings and efficiencies could be achieved.
A LEAN Review had been carried out by staff trained in the in-house Project Academy, reporting in November 2013. It had recommended changes in working practices to improve efficiency, in the short term, and had indicated where new technology could be introduced to achieve further efficiencies in the medium term.
The report compared the current and proposed staffing structures, and advised that reductions in staffing could be achieved by voluntary redundancy, flexible retirement and redeployment.
Staff would be offered training and support, so that they would be able to undertake a wider range of administrative tasks, increasing their flexibility. And, would be deployed in centralised teams; and their methods of working reviewed and standardised.
A Service Level Agreement would be developed for aspects of support work for the Planning service, and the support services requirements of Housing and Environmental services reviewed, to identify possible improvements and cost reduction opportunities.
In 2014/15 a Document Management System would be introduced. Following implementation, it was envisaged that a further review of the support services structure would take place with the potential for additional economies.
*RESOLVED –
That the Head of Business Transformation be authorised to implement the proposals for a revised Support Services structure.
REASONS FOR DECISION
1. A fit for purpose Support Services Structure has been created for the medium term.
2. Financial savings have been secured to support the Council in achieving a balanced budget.
3. New technology will be introduced to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the current operating systems.