Stephen Weigel says the downturn has forced councils to bring forward their own change plans
I – and, I am sure, many of my colleagues – have been planning for the longer term – three to five years ahead – for some time. Originally, the predictions for my own district council, Tandridge DC, in Surrey will have required a step change in the year 2011/12. With the economic downturn all of this work has needed to be brought forward by two years.
As with any large organisation delivering a large variety of complex services directly and through both partnership and contractual arrangements, cost effective, legally permitted and politically acceptable changes take time to implement.
There are of course other options, but these will prove far more expensive in their implementation and normally produce far less effective outcomes.
I recall working in one organisation that needed to make swift savings in staff and as a result paid early retirement lump sums and pensions to staff who were just two years from retirement age, when the additional costs could have been avoided.
This also resulted in numerous employment tribunal claims and a refusal to cover the duties of vacant taff by others. At Tandridge DC we have been putting plans in place in order to provide our councillors with options in terms of policy direction. I am sure this is also the case in many other councils irrespective of their being county, city, unitary, metropolitan, district or borough councils.
The options available will require strong leadership, where there is seamless working between the political and managerial arms of the council.
It will also be important to craft policies and procedures in order to avoid the potential minefield of litigation and other resource hungry, expensive or distracting diversions. At Tandridge in common with other districts and boroughs, our staff are one of the largest budget areas. Without well trained, motivated staff with local knowledge, it is unlikely that we will be able to deliver services that meet local quality and other expectations.
Tandridge has already put in place useful work, including:
l medium-term financial plan (five-year rolling
programme)
l HR/OD programme (three-year renewable)
l community strategy (five-year partnership programme)
l key objectives and priorities (set annually)
l collaboration with neighbouring councils
These link and inform one another and practical work has also been undertaken including:
l succession planning
l implementation of competency framework
l workforce development
l equal pay audit
One of our highest costs is related to staff and clearly without correct staffing arrangements (skills, competencies and management arrangements) we cannot continue to deliver quality services at optimum cost.
The proper management of staff reductions and possible implementation of collaboration and delivery of shared services through neighbouring councils or other arrangements, will require careful planning in order to identify the most effective way of achieving savings. We have also developed the East Surrey Improvement Partnership (TDC; RBBC; MVDC; EEBC) and have already undertaken work on potential collaboration.
In terms of reshaping our council to continue to deliver quality services at optimum cost within budget, we are embarking on a more ambitious Modernisation Programme. Some of the things local authorities will be considering in the future may include:
l existing and/or potentially new shared service and collaboration projects will be developed
l artnerships with the private sector
l greater efficiency in the management of
procurement to further reduce costs
l contract and other partnership negotiation
l freeze on recruitment and restructuring to realise permanent savings
l flexible, early and voluntary retirements where
supported by a business case
l recruitment slippage extended
l reduced working hours, sabbaticals, secondments, working from home and other flexible arrangements
l business process re-engineering and service redesign
l shared staffing or other management arrangements with neighbouring councils or other relevant
organisations
I have seen many initiatives which have included a management of change programme. With all of the above moving forward, I anticipate that the challenges we face may well bring about a change of management programme in its place!
Stephen Weigel is chief executive of Tandridge DC in Surrey
As with any large organisation delivering a large variety of complex services directly and through both partnership and contractual arrangements, cost effective, legally permitted and politically acceptable changes take time to implement.
There are of course other options, but these will prove far more expensive in their implementation and normally produce far less effective outcomes.
I recall working in one organisation that needed to make swift savings in staff and as a result paid early retirement lump sums and pensions to staff who were just two years from retirement age, when the additional costs could have been avoided.
This also resulted in numerous employment tribunal claims and a refusal to cover the duties of vacant taff by others. At Tandridge DC we have been putting plans in place in order to provide our councillors with options in terms of policy direction. I am sure this is also the case in many other councils irrespective of their being county, city, unitary, metropolitan, district or borough councils.
The options available will require strong leadership, where there is seamless working between the political and managerial arms of the council.
It will also be important to craft policies and procedures in order to avoid the potential minefield of litigation and other resource hungry, expensive or distracting diversions. At Tandridge in common with other districts and boroughs, our staff are one of the largest budget areas. Without well trained, motivated staff with local knowledge, it is unlikely that we will be able to deliver services that meet local quality and other expectations.
Tandridge has already put in place useful work, including:
l medium-term financial plan (five-year rolling
programme)
l HR/OD programme (three-year renewable)
l community strategy (five-year partnership programme)
l key objectives and priorities (set annually)
l collaboration with neighbouring councils
These link and inform one another and practical work has also been undertaken including:
l succession planning
l implementation of competency framework
l workforce development
l equal pay audit
One of our highest costs is related to staff and clearly without correct staffing arrangements (skills, competencies and management arrangements) we cannot continue to deliver quality services at optimum cost.
The proper management of staff reductions and possible implementation of collaboration and delivery of shared services through neighbouring councils or other arrangements, will require careful planning in order to identify the most effective way of achieving savings. We have also developed the East Surrey Improvement Partnership (TDC; RBBC; MVDC; EEBC) and have already undertaken work on potential collaboration.
In terms of reshaping our council to continue to deliver quality services at optimum cost within budget, we are embarking on a more ambitious Modernisation Programme. Some of the things local authorities will be considering in the future may include:
l existing and/or potentially new shared service and collaboration projects will be developed
l artnerships with the private sector
l greater efficiency in the management of
procurement to further reduce costs
l contract and other partnership negotiation
l freeze on recruitment and restructuring to realise permanent savings
l flexible, early and voluntary retirements where
supported by a business case
l recruitment slippage extended
l reduced working hours, sabbaticals, secondments, working from home and other flexible arrangements
l business process re-engineering and service redesign
l shared staffing or other management arrangements with neighbouring councils or other relevant
organisations
I have seen many initiatives which have included a management of change programme. With all of the above moving forward, I anticipate that the challenges we face may well bring about a change of management programme in its place!
Stephen Weigel is chief executive of Tandridge DC in Surrey
