Agenda item

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources outlining the next steps in the Together Gloucester transformation programme.

86.1    Councillor D. Norman MBE, Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources, introduced the report and highlighted key matters.  He stated that Together Gloucester was a transformational process and aspects of the process would change as it progressed. He outlined that, in order to transform, it was necessary to initiate a work and investment programme.

86.2    Councillor Pullen queried why, given more than £1.2m in staff savings had been realised, it was now recognised that there was not sufficient staff to deliver the transformation programme. He further queried why there was a need to create three posts for strategic performance design. Councillor Pullen proposed that the Committee recommend to Cabinet that, as an alternative to introducing three new posts, the Senior Management Team be made entirely full time by ending the current arrangement of sharing the Manging Director post with the County Council.

86.3    Councillor Norman stated that the savings made as a result of the organisation review were the start of the transformation process and would be delivering £12.3m in savings over the next 10 years.  But to ensure that the change and savings were sustainable it was necessary to invest in the organisation to help implement IT and rationalise processes at pace.  Councillor Norman was not sympathetic to the need to revisit the shared MD arrangement with County but was likely to seek to defer appointments to the proposed three new permanent posts pending further reports, in delivering a transformation programme, staffing levels and the organisation direction of travel was the first matter to consider. He further stated that external advice followed. Councillor Norman advised that Senior Management were involved in the transformation process and that he would examine the proposed three new posts and that some or all of these could be filled internally. He stated that it was not the intention to fill these posts immediately.

86.4    Councillor Morgan shared his view that, in relation to Councillor Pullen’s proposed recommendation, Members were neither in a position nor in possession of enough information to determine whether to alter the Senior Management structure of the organisation. Councillor Hilton suggested that there was a strong case to reconsider the shared employment of the Managing Director.

86.5    Councillor Pullen’s proposed recommendation that: The Senior Management Team’s capacity be increased to three full time posts as an alternative to three new posts was put to the vote and was lost.

86.6    Councillor Hampson welcomed the proposal for investment. He queried how it would be paid for given, according to the report, finance was based on the spending of business rates not yet realised and uncertainty regarding the sale of the Council’s current premises.

86.7    Councillor Norman stated that it was to be considered as an invest-to-save strategy. He further stated that a commitment had been made to not earmark business rates income but reserves would be used and replaced from HKP business rates.

86.8    Councillor Lewis asked if there was an indication of staff morale and how the Council was supporting staff with change. The Corporate Director advised that change management training was in place and effective change management was part of the transformation plan A cohort of staff was being trained as coaches and mentors to assist the change programme. She further advised that a second staff survey would be conducted. With regard to the first staff survey, the Corporate Director informed the Committee that 75% had responded and that there had been a number of honest, constructive comments from staff. She noted that staff were open in their responses.

86.9    Councillor Wilson asked for an example of what process would change. The Corporate Director advised that there were an inflated number of ways residents could pay for council services and stated that streamlining these would improve capacity in other areas. He further advised that such processes would be circulated.

86.10  In response to a query from Councillor Hilton regarding what would be done to foster a more commercial attitude, the Corporate Director advised that one aspect was making the most of the council’s property portfolio. Councillor Hilton also queried what could the council potentially stop doing as a result of process redesign. The Corporate Director stated that the redesign of processes was to explore what could be changed rather than starting from the position of ceasing some operations.

86.11  Councillor Haigh suggested that the plans did not sufficiently engage the wider public and shared her view that it would be useful to enquire as to why members of the public transact with the council in particular ways.

86.12  Councillor Haigh proposed to recommend to Cabinet that: Customers who interact with Council services be surveyed on their preferred methods of using services. This was carried.

86.13  RESOLVED:- That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee RECOMMEND to Cabinet that customers who interact with Council services be surveyed on their preferred methods of using services.