Agenda item

(1)       Mr Hawkins introduced the “Change to Keep Succeeding” report by the Group Managing Director on the transformation of the County Council’s operating framework.  This report had been endorsed by Cabinet on 11 October 2010 and also included alternative structures which had been presented to the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee on 15 October 2010.  The proposed structures were out to consultation until 3 December 2010.  The County Council on 16 December 2010 would approve the top tier structure which will come into effect on 1 April 2011.  The proposals included a Corporate Director of Customer and Communities which would include the services where the public came into direct contact with the County Council. It was proposed to have three Directors within that Directorate.  It was anticipated that the Big Society would come under the Director of Service Improvement.  Key to these proposals was ensuring that the public got one message from a single voice when they contacted the County Council.

(2)       Ms Honey highlighted the key changes between the original and the alternative structures.   She stated that the alternative structure included Kent Drug and Alcohol Treatment Team and the Emergency Planning Team within the proposed Customer and Communities Directorate.

(3)       Members asked a number of questions and the responses included the following:-

• Mr Hawkins explained that Ms Kerswell had received comments from senior officers during the summer about the design principles for the re-structuring and that there had been discussions at Corporate Management Team. Senior managers had been widely consulted.  All holders of impacted posted had had a one to one meeting with Ms Kerswell.  He emphasised that the structures out to consultation were Ms Kerswell’s proposals as Group Managing Director and Head of the Paid Service.
• In relation to Public Rights of Way and County Parks which had been placed within the Customer and Communities Directorate in the proposed structures, Mr Hawkins explained that the logic behind this was that these were services that the public came to us for, but he emphasised that this was still subject to consultation and approval by the County Council.
• In response to a question on why the re-structuring needed to take place prior to the budget for 2011-12 being approved, Mr Hawkins stated that it was important to make the changes now so that the economies from them could be received as soon as possible.  He confirmed that capacity was being built into the structure to accommodate possible changes arising from legislation such as the Public Health White Paper.
• Mr Hawkins confirmed that voluntary redundancy at the top level would be subject to approval by Members.  

(4)       Comments made by Members included the importance of ensuring that the views of key stakeholders especially for the Communities Directorate were taken into account.

(5) Mr Hawkins undertook to respond directly to Mr Tolputt about whether there would an outplacement facility would be provided for staff and whether the Hay evaluation would take into account measures other than the size of the areas to be managed.

(6)       RESOLVED that the matters raised by members be noted as part of the consultative process.