Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors G. N. Denaro, Dr. D. W. P. Booth JP, J. T. Duddy, and R. D. Smith.

Mrs. C. Felton declared a personal and prejudicial interest in items 5 and 6 relating to Proposals for a Shared Management Team to serve Bromsgrove District Council and Redditch Borough Council and left the meeting during the consideration thereof.

Mr. K. Dicks stated he would declare a personal and prejudicial interest in the item if the discussion covered details which pertained specifically to his position.

"RESOLVED: that under Section 100 I of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act, as amended, the relevant paragraph of that part, in each case, being as set out below, and that it is in the public interest to do so:-

RESOLVED: that under Section 100 l of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the item of business the subject of the following minute on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of “Exempt Information” as defined in part 1 of schedule 12A to the Act, as amended, the relevant paragraph of that part being as set out below and that it is in the public interest to do so. 

                        Minute No.                                          Paragraph

                           68/09                                                       4

Consideration was given to a report on proposals to establish a Single Management Team to serve Bromsgrove District Council and Redditch Borough Council and to the recommendations of the Shared Services Board thereon held on 8th September 2009.

RECOMMENDED:

(1)       that subject to the change of title of the proposed Assistant Chief Executive to “Director of Policy, Performance and Partnerships”, the proposed Single Management Structure attached at appendix 3 to the Shared Services Board (SSB) report be adopted for formal consultation with the affected staff and trade unions;

(2)       that the proposed timetable attached at appendix 5 to the SSB report be approved, together with the ring fencing proposals detailed in the preamble to the SSB minutes of 8th September 2009 (Minute No. 5d final paragraph – Recruitment and Selection Processes refers);

(3)       that the proposal to seek volunteers from the directly affected staff in the first instance for Voluntary/Compulsory Redundancy/Early Retirement, in order to minimise the number of Compulsory Redundancies be approved;

(4)       that the proposal to make a payment, subject to consultation with the affected staff and trade unions of pay in lieu of notice (PILON) to anyone unsuccessful in securing a post on the Single Management Team be approved, for the reasons outlined at section 13.12 of the SSB report, from 30th March 2010;

(5)       that the proposed salary levels of the Single Management Team posts, as independently evaluated and outlined at paragraph 4.16 of the SSB report, be approved: all new posts to have an incremental salary range, with progression subject to satisfactory performance;

(6)       that it be noted that independent advice on outstanding job evaluation to existing members of the Corporate Management Team  for Redditch Borough Council has been sought and the potential impact on severance costs also be noted;

(7)       that it be noted that the offer of employment contracts to members of the Single Management Team may need to be provisional because of the more detailed work on terms and conditions that is required;

(8)       that the potential need for the application of salary protection, where displaced members of the existing management teams may be redeployed into lower level posts within the proposed new structure, be noted;

(9)       that the preliminary response of the recognised trade unions to the timetable and proposed structure be noted;

(10)     that the projected savings of £1.282m over the 5 year period arising as a result of the Single Management Team proposals be noted and endorsed;

(11)     that the sum quoted in the main body of the SSB report be split equally between the two Councils and released from balances to cover the potential costs associated with progressing to a Single Management Team;

(12)     that a potential Capitalisation Direction be pursued from the Department of Communities and Local Government;

(13)     that a Joint Appointments Committee be appointed, comprising three Members of each Council for proposed new posts reporting directly to the Joint Chief Executive; and that Terms of Reference and Bromsgrove District Council membership be agreed as follows:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.