Category: Employment and Appointments

Employment and Appointments Committee – 23rd March 2011 – Part 1

After the other reports and minutes were agreed most of the meeting was about the changes to Adult Social Services after the critical Care Quality Commission Report last year. Howard Cooper (Interim Director of Adult Social Services) explained to those present that Social Services needed extra capacity in relation to safeguarding for vulnerable adults. He … Continue reading “Employment and Appointments Committee – 23rd March 2011 – Part 1”

After the other reports and minutes were agreed most of the meeting was about the changes to Adult Social Services after the critical Care Quality Commission Report last year.

Howard Cooper (Interim Director of Adult Social Services) explained to those present that Social Services needed extra capacity in relation to safeguarding for vulnerable adults. He talked at length about how safeguarding was done in the Children and Young Peoples Department and how lessons could be learnt from them in how to do safeguarding well for vulnerable adults.

Although someone had been working with both the C&YP Dept and DASS, the current management team for children was stretched. As a result he recommended that the Employment and Appointments Committee make two temporary appointments (until a new Director was permanently appointed). The first would be an Interim Head of Service and the second an Interim Head of Joint Adults & Childrens’ Safeguarding.

Cllr Green asked about child safety. Howard Cooper referred to the recent OFSTED inspection. He pointed out the advantages and risks of taking a joint approach to safeguarding and that it would have positive benefits with the transition from children to adults. The changes to DASS would take place in phases. From January to March changes would be made, but from April to July longer term structures would be put in place before the transition to the new permanent director of Adult Social Services. Mr Cooper referred to changes happening in the NHS, Wirral Council becoming a health provider, the public health function coming to Wirral Council and GP Commissioning.

Cabinet meeting (Wirral Council) 22/02/2011 Part 1 – the Conservative/Lib Dem budget cometh and Labour is not happy

Well yesterday the Conservative & Lib Dem Cabinet “unveiled” their Wirral Council budget for 2011/2012. Labour’s (opposition) budget will arrive by noon on Friday the 25th February.

Next Monday (1st March) the full Council will vote on the budget, although with 41 (yes I know it’s 42 including the Lib Dem Mayor but generally he doesn’t vote as he’s supposed to be politically neutral as part of his office) “progressive partnership” councillors to Labour’s 25 24 (edit – I sometimes forget Cllr. Knowles had switched from Labour to Tory and the independent Cllr Kirwan isn’t still with Wirral Council) councillors, I’m sure even Labour can do the maths and realise Labour’s budget will be defeated next Monday (with no need for Budget Part 2 on the evening of the 9th March) by around seventeen votes.

Can you see which bits of the Budget are from the Lib Dem side and which from the Conservative side? Yes you can see “the seams” between the two halves as we continue to be two independent political parties with minds and policy making processes of our own. If you look really hard you can see the bits influenced by yours truly and others (for example the 4-year rolling programme for 20 mph residential zones discussed last year by the party when Cllr Quinn was Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Transport) now carried forward by Cllr Rennie.

One Lib Dem policy coming into play is the pupil premium which means about £5 million extra for Wirral Schools to spend on children on free school meals, looked after children and service children. You should’ve heard the “wails of anguish” at the Wirral Schools Forum from headmasters/headmistresses from the more prosperous parts of the Borough when they realised £5 million would be spent on improving the educational chances of the most needy! Clearly Wirral is a place of large social divides and the extra money will be a welcome boost to the schools in Bidston & St. James.

So what may you ask is “in the budget”? Well, first to deal with the elements of the council tax that are made up by Merseyside Police’s budget and Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service’s budget. Both Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service froze their contributions from Council Tax compared to last year (2010/2011).

Due to increased costs and inflation (as well as a high proportion of its costs being on staff), Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service will be cutting some jobs. Their Chief Exec/treasurer explains the situation in a self-styled “podcast” (I don’t think he quite knows what a podcast is but I have to give them a few marks for trying), which unfortunately with my browser Firefox either opens a blank black window or six video windows of him at once creating an echo effect so I’ve uploaded it to Youtube (which has slightly better audio quality than five echoes).

For the purposes of any copyright lawyers out there, as the work has been made previously available to the public (and still is on Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service’s website at this location), this is classed as “fair dealing” under s.30 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is being done for the purpose of news reporting (and making sure you can hear what the speaker says).

Quite why councillors on Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service left it to an officer to record a video to explain the cuts is a mystery I’m sure my humble readers can enlighten me on in the comments section (or maybe I’ll just ask Cllr Ellis, Cllr Niblock, Cllr Rennie or Cllr Roberts next time I see them).

Employment & Appointments Committee – 27th January Part 15 – Chief Executive

Cllr Holbrook suggested they use North West Employers. The officer answered that was part of the subscription.

Cllr Green said he had written something down and read out the motion (which wasn’t circulated to the members of the public present).

His motion proposed a subcommittee in the proportion 2:2:1. It was agreed it was not appropriate to share a Chief Executive. The Head of Human Resources would consult with the subcommittee and it would be advertised at a salary of ~£130,000. The subcommittee’s duties would be advertising, job description, timetable/selection and a recommendation to Council. There would be no external consultants, but a local Chief Executive would be used as an external adviser.

Labour said they would agree to the motion if he removed the word local.

Cllr Bridson mentioned something else. She said a shared Chief Executive would’ve let to the furore over a shared MP. The officer said there was a robust performance management process. Cllr Mitchell seconded Cllr Green’s motion. It was agreed the makeup of the committee would be the Labour leader, Labour Deputy Leader, Conservative Leader and Conservative Deputy Leader and Lib Dem Leader.

Cllr Bridson confirmed that that was agreed unanimously. There was no item of non-exempt AOB. The motion to exclude the press and public from the remainder of the meeting was then passed and the press and public left.

The other items on the agenda considered in a closed session were allegations against employees, and early voluntary retirement/voluntary severance requests.

Employment & Appointments Committee – 27th January Part 14 – Chief Executive

Cllr Davies said he took a slightly different view, but would not push it to a vote. He said if they involving recruitment people that they would have a wide knowledge of the pool of talent. In addition they would have a knowledge of contracts in the private sector and local government.

He said they would benefit from consulting a chief executive or retired chief executive. He said it was the most important appointment that will be made and it is worth the investment. He said it should be based on consensus and this was also essential to go down this route. In an ideal world they would find a breadth of expertise and knowledge that a recruitment consultancy form could bring to the table which would lead to a better appointment.

Cllr McLaughlin asked as a point of info that there didn’t sem much difference in cost between the two forms of advertising and using an external adviser.

An officer answered for clarity that the amount was only for the online section of The Times. A search consultant would be over and above the costs in the report. The cost depended on the advice. Maybe a local Chief Executive could be used. It would depend on availability and choice.

Employment & Appointments Committee – 27th January Part 13 – Chief Executive

Cllr Davies said he accepted that. He hoped the appointment would be a success. There have been examples elsewhere and he made an assurance that it would be a permanent appointment. He then went on do talk about performance management, delivery and details.

Cllr Green said there was consensus, but he would start from the top. A clear appraisal would be really good and would refresh minds and whether it was necessary or right. There could be tweaking but this is what we expect. Cllr Davies agreed and the discussion moved onto timescale.

Cllr Green said another issue was the use of external consultants to which he had given some though. He didn’t believe they were needed as such over the selection process. However they could provide support with longlisting as well as supporting Chris and the people on the subcommittee. Their expertise and professionalism would be welcome in weeding out dodgy applications from those with a track record of success.

Cllr Holbrook asked for the committee’s views on consultants. He said they didn’t need them with regard to search, but will need support as the application process progresses from longlisting to shortlisting. There would be a mix of internal and external applicants. There was a level of difficulty for staff in giving fair and impartial advice. His view was that HR staff could access independent, impartial support and advice to assist. If it was with consultants it was a better economy. Support was necessary and he said we must make sure we take the necessary steps.