Policy and Strategy Committee

Tuesday 5 October 2004 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Councillors Blair, Forbes, Fyfe, Hill, McCabe, McCormick (M), Mitchell and Snoddy.

Chair:  Councillor Blair presided.

In attendance:  Chief Executive, Depute Chief Executive, Director of Community Services, Director of Corporate Services, Director of Education Services, Mr G Douglas (for Director of Legal & Support Services) and Ms B Billings (for Director of Social Work Services).

Apologies:  Provost Rebecchi and Councillors Nimmo, Roach and Robertson.

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Chief Officers Review

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There were submitted (a) report dated 21 September 2004 by the Chief Executive requesting the Committee (1) to finalise the review of all Chief Officers, (2) to consider further alterations to the management structure, (3) to consider the position regarding third tier officers and (4) to agree a cross party review of Childcare provision; and (b) paper submitted by the Labour Group with proposals in this regard.  There was also circulated supplementary report dated 5 October 2004 by the Chief Executive (1) advising of the early retirement of the Director of Social Work Services in terms of the Council's procedures as agreed by the Committee on 25 September 2003 (para 683) and (2) requesting the Committee to take this early retirement into account when considering the report on the review of Chief Officers.

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Councillor Blair moved:

(1)      that a Cross Party Working Group be established  to review Childcare provision and make recommendations, the Group to include representation by relevant officers and trades unions and to be chaired by the Convener of the Health & Social Care Committee; (2) that the conditions of third tier officers and the structures within services be reviewed as detailed in paragraph 6.3 of the report, that this form part of a review of structures at third tier level by the appropriate Committees and that the review be completed by the end of the calendar year;

(3)      that the Performance Review and Development Scheme introduced for Chief Officers not form part of the mechanism for determining Chief Officers' salaries;

(4)      that subject to the suspension of Standing Orders by The Inverclyde Council, the structures and salary grades for Heads of Services set out in Appendix 3 be agreed with the following amendments:

(i)       that the salary grades take effect from 1 April 2004;

(ii)      Corporate Services

(a)      that the salary of the Head of Personnel Services be fixed at £54,324;

(b)      that a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee on the position, functions and grading of the post of Head of Revenues and Customer Centres and that in the meantime the salary of the position be fixed at £48,237 on an interim basis;

(iii)      Community Services

that a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee on the proposed structure of Community Services in particular the scope of responsibilities of the proposed Head of Community and Cultural Services and any other issues relating to the proposed creation of this post;

(iv)     Chief Executive's Office

that a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee clarifying the scope and responsibilities of the post of Head of Performance Management and Policy Development in relation to the size of the remits of other Chief Officers and that in the meantime the salary be amended to £48,237;

(5)      that the posts of Depute Chief Executive and Directors be regraded to reflect increased responsibilities arising in particular from the recent structural changes relative to Housing, Social Protection, Information Technology, Legal Services and Personnel Services, that this not be dealt with by way of a formula linked to the Chief Executive's salary and that in the case of Directors, the regrading be carried out in accordance with the recommended increases subject to a maximum figure;

(6)      that the recommended integration of Social Work Services and Community Services be not agreed at this stage but that the Committee agree to an objective of a Corporate Management Team of 4 Directors or another option reflecting the early retiral of the Director of Social Work Services;

(7)      that a further report be submitted to the Committee setting out options to include (a) the experience of other local authorities conducting similar exercises, (b) issues to be examined by the Cross Party Working Group on Childcare provision and (c) the practical impact on other services considered for possible integration with Social Work Services;

(8)      that to assist the process set out in the preceding paragraph, a review of the work of Social Work Services be undertaken with the assistance of an external adviser with wide experience within the social work field;

(9)      that thereafter the Council reconsider the position, if practicable by the end of the calendar year; and

(10)    that at this stage, no change take place in the arrangements in relation to the Registration Service but that the position be reviewed when the Council's intended arrangements with regard to customer contact facilities are put in place.

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As an amendment, Councillor McCabe moved:

(1)      that agreement be given to establish a Cross Party Working Group to review Childcare provision and make recommendations to the Committee;

(2)      that the salaries and conditions of third tier Officers and the structure within Services be reviewed as detailed in paragraph 6.3 of the report as part of a review of structures at third tier level by appropriate Committees;

(3)      that the Performance Review and Development Scheme introduced for Chief Officers not form part of the mechanism for determining Chief Officers' salaries;

(4)      that the structures and salary grades for Heads of Service as detailed in Appendix 3 be approved with effect from 1 April 2003, with the exception of the post of Head of Finance and Administration and that this post be retained within Social Work Services;  that the Labour Group’s concerns about previous changes be noted; that Heads of Service be paid an agreed percentage of Directors' salaries and that all Heads of Service posts be sized to the same salary level with Heads of Services fulfilling statutory roles being awarded one additional increment;

(5)      that agreement in principle be given to the regrading of the posts of Depute Chief Executive and Directors subject to the Depute Chief Executive and Directors being paid an agreed percentage of the Chief Executive's salary and that the regrading be effective from 1 April 2003;

(6)      that agreement not be given to the further integration of Services outlined in paragraph 5.6 of the report with effect from 1 April 2005, including the requirement for interviews, and the subsequent regrading of the Depute Chief Executive, Directors and Heads of Services from that date;

(7)      that it be noted that all cost implications will be contained within the overall budget framework including Reserves for previous year costs; and

(8)      that consultation take place with the relevant Officers and their trades unions prior to any final decision being taken on the matters outlined above.

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On a vote, 2 Members voted for the amendment and 6 for the motion which was declared carried.

Decided: 

(1)      that a Cross Party Working Group be established  to review Childcare provision and make recommendations, the Group to include representation by relevant officers and trades unions and to be chaired by the Convener of the Health & Social Care Committee; (2) that the conditions of third tier officers and the structures within services be reviewed as detailed in paragraph 6.3 of the report, that this form part of a review of structures at third tier level by the appropriate Committees and that the review be completed by the end of the calendar year;

(3)      that the Performance Review and Development Scheme introduced for Chief Officers not form part of the mechanism for determining Chief Officers' salaries;

(4)      that subject to the suspension of Standing Orders by The Inverclyde Council, the structures and salary grades for Heads of Services set out in Appendix 3 be agreed with the following amendments:

(i)       that the salary grades take effect from 1 April 2004;

(ii)      Corporate Services

(a)      that the salary of the Head of Personnel Services be fixed at £54,324;

(b)      that a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee on the position, functions and grading of the post of Head of Revenues and Customer Centres and that in the meantime the salary of the position be fixed at £48,237 on an interim basis;

(iii)      Community Services

that a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee on the proposed structure of Community Services in particular the scope of responsibilities of the proposed Head of Community and Cultural Services and any other issues relating to the proposed creation of this post;

(iv)     Chief Executive's Office

that a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee clarifying the scope and responsibilities of the post of Head of Performance Management and Policy Development in relation to the size of the remits of other Chief Officers and that in the meantime the salary be amended to £48,237;

(5)      that the posts of Depute Chief Executive and Directors be regraded to reflect increased responsibilities arising in particular from the recent structural changes relative to Housing, Social Protection, Information Technology, Legal Services and Personnel Services, that this not be dealt with by way of a formula linked to the Chief Executive's salary and that in the case of Directors, the regrading be carried out in accordance with the recommended increases subject to a maximum figure;

(6)      that the recommended integration of Social Work Services and Community Services be not agreed at this stage but that the Committee agree to an objective of a Corporate Management Team of 4 Directors or another option reflecting the early retiral of the Director of Social Work Services;

(7)      that a further report be submitted to the Committee setting out options to include (a) the experience of other local authorities conducting similar exercises, (b) issues to be examined by the Cross Party Working G×roup on Childcare provision and (c) the practical impact on other services considered for possible integration with Social Work Services;

(8)      that to assist the process set out in the preceding paragraph, a review of the work of Social Work Services be undertaken with the assistance of an external adviser with wide experience within the social work field;

(9)      that thereafter the Council reconsider the position, if practicable by the end of the calendar year; and

(10)    that at this stage, no change take place in the arrangements in relation to the Registration Service but that the position be reviewed when the Council's intended arrangements with regard to customer contact facilities are put in place.

It was agreed in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as amended, that the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item on the grounds that the business involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

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Chief Officers Review - Further Consideration

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The Chief Executive answered questions relative to the terms of the early retirement of the Director of Social Work Services in accordance with the policy agreed by the Committee on 25 September 2003 (para 683) and it was noted that the annual report on the operation of the policy would be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.