Tag: Chris Hyams

Council Excellence Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Wirral Council) 17th November 2011 Early Voluntary Retirement/Voluntary Severance and Organisational Change Part 2

Chris Hyams introduced the report (agenda item 16) on Early Voluntary Retirement/Voluntary Redundancy and Organisational Change. She talked about the changes and remodelling as well as the Early Voluntary Retirement/Voluntary Severance process. Chris Hyams referred to the savings and number of employees as well as the £2 million for remodelling. She said that the £2 … Continue reading “Council Excellence Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Wirral Council) 17th November 2011 Early Voluntary Retirement/Voluntary Severance and Organisational Change Part 2”

Chris Hyams introduced the report (agenda item 16) on Early Voluntary Retirement/Voluntary Redundancy and Organisational Change.

She talked about the changes and remodelling as well as the Early Voluntary Retirement/Voluntary Severance process. Chris Hyams referred to the savings and number of employees as well as the £2 million for remodelling. She said that the £2 million was to support management and remodelling of services delivered. She said that departments made bids to the Strategic Change Programme Board for new posts or to add money to existing posts (such as changing them to a higher grade post).

Cllr Alan Brighouse (Vice-Chair) arrives.

Chris Hyams referred to paragraph 5 and the issue of people on part-time hours or subject to a job share. She said they had deleted 719 FTE equivalent posts, which equated to 765 FTE posts deleted. Chris Hyams said it was a “work in progress”, as the information had to go on the system and be signed off.

She said paragraph 6 dealt with refilled posts, where people had been moved into a post. This had been part of the decision-making where people had been allowed to leave. If they had a person they couldn’t lose, another person would be “bumped” into a post. This didn’t lead to a 100% saving, but could be 80% or 70% as the person moving posts led to a saving in the post they left behind. She said this was complicated and referred to the 104 new posts. People had been asked to leave because of the restructure, but there was a “one bump rule” which allowed another post to be saved. The bumps exception was Metro in the Children and Young People’s Department.

Council Excellence Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Wirral Council) 17th November 2011, Declarations of Interest, Minutes (15/9 and 27/9), Early Voluntary Retirement/Voluntary Severance and Organisational Change Part 1

Present:

Cllr Phil Gilchrist (Lib Dem) (Chair)

Cllr Ron Abbey (Labour)
Cllr Darren Dodd (Labour)
Cllr Chris Jones (Labour)

Cllr James Keeley (Conservative)
Cllr John Hale (Conservative)
Cllr Steve Williams (Conservative)
Cllr Wendy Clements (Conservative) deputy for Cllr Tony Cox (Conservative)

LATE:
Cllr Paul Doughty (Labour) (missed declarations of interest (item 1) (all) & minutes (item 2) (all))
Cllr Alan Brighouse (Lib Dem) (missed declarations of interest (item 1) (all), minutes (item 2) (all), financial monitoring statement (item 3) (missed Cllr Phil Gilchrist’s comments & part of Chris Hyams’ introduction) (Vice-Chair)

The Chair Cllr Phil Gilchrist started the meeting by referring to guidance issued by email on filming of meetings (which was permitted). He asked for declarations of interest, none were declared. Cllr Phil Gilchrist pointed out that for the councillors who were late they would have to declare any interests once they had arrived.

He asked if the minutes of the meeting held on the 15th September were agreed? The committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on the 15th September.

He asked if the minutes of the meeting held on the 27th September were agreed? The minutes of the meeting held on the 27th September were agreed.

Cllr Phil Gilchrist signed the minutes of the meetings held on the 15th & 27th September to show they were agreed.

Cllr Phil Gilchrist welcomed Cllr Wendy Clements to the meeting. He said he wanted to change the agenda order.

Cllr Paul Doughty arrived.

Cllr Phil Gilchrist said he wanted to consider Agenda item 16 (Early Voluntary Retirement/Voluntary Severance and Organisational Change) first. He asked Chris Hyams, Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development to introduce the report.

Corporate Governance Committee (Wirral Council) 26th October 2011 5.00pm (Committee Room 1) Part 4

Chris Hyams agreed that she would report back next time. Cllr Foulkes asked if the report was agreed. Cllr Jeff Green asked if they would use an electronic or paper based system? He would prefer them to use an electronic system for the appraisals.

Chris Hyams said they would but not in the first instance, but once it was live they would link it and log it as complete.

David Smith said they needed to consider the kind of council they wanted in six to nine months time and what information would be held electronically.

Cllr Foulkes said everything would be interlinked and thanked Chris.

Jim Wilkie introduced the report on corporate governance. He said items three and four on the agenda were interlinked. He said the reports described how it would be organised. Mr. Wilkie also said there were comprehensive work plans, which had the capacity to be complex and confusing which set out the main issues and key lines of enquiry as well as what was to be done, who would do it and the timelines. Resources were required and there were interdependencies. There was enough work to do but a limited amount of time. They might need additional external support to supplement Anna Klonowoski which would give an external perspective as well as help with backfilling. He asked the committee for its initial views and secondly its views or reaction over the allocation of resources. He asked if there should be a dedicated budget and said it was important for councillors across the organisation to be involved in the process.

Corporate Governance Committee (Wirral Council) 26th October 2011 5.00pm (Committee Room 1) Part 3

Cllr Tom Harney said there were two things. The first was the business of when, he wanted a finite date and said it “can’t wait forever” and “if we miss the date we should do something about it”. The second was that [the Cabinet]’s job was to manage and they were responsible for managing people, this can’t wait six months.

Cllr Foulkes said their credibility hinged on redefining corporate governance. Imparting core skills on people he didn’t see as a problem. However there might be smaller adjustments at the end. He wanted to make as much progress as he could without damaging the integrity of the system. Cllr Foulkes said he noted the report fed into the wider discussion. He took on board Tom’s point, but there was enough in the Anna Klonowski Associates report. First they would deal with the two hundred top managers making small minor improvements, he said they would “not just carry on what we’ve done before” which was waiting for policy.

Cllr Ann McArdle said the worst thing they could do would be to destroy the integrity of the process.

Chris Hyams talked about the objectives and expectations and steering the meeting through a difficult conversation.

Cllr Phil Davies said he worried about launching a training program. He went on to talk about the culture, roles, responsibilities and behaviours which were linked. He worried that Chris’ training should look at all component parts.

Anna Klonowski said the tools and techniques used shouldn’t undermine what was a precursor to launching anything.

Corporate Governance Committee (Wirral Council) 26th October 2011 5.00pm (Committee Room 1) Part 1

The agenda and reports for this committee can be found by clicking on this link.

Present:
Corporate Governance Committee
Chair, Cllr Steve Foulkes
Cllr Phil Davies
Cllr Adrian Jones
Cllr Anne McArdle
Cllr Ann McLachlan

Co-optee (no voting rights) Cllr Jeff Green
Co-optee (no voting rights) Cllr Tom Harney

Also present

Officers

Bill Norman (Borough Solicitor)

Jim Wilkie (Chief Executive)

Ian Coleman (Director of Finance & Deputy Chief Executive)

David Smith (Deputy Director of Finance)

Also

Anna Klonowski
A couple of members of the public/press
A number of other officers

Cllr Foulkes, once the microphones had been put out began the first meeting of the Corporate Governance Committee.

He said he couldn’t start the meeting without him [Cllr Jeff Green]. Some jokes were made about Cllr Jeff Green’s smoking habit and the people present waited for Cllr Jeff Green to return. Once he returned Cllr Foulkes asked for any declarations of interest. No declarations of interest were declared.

Cllr Foulkes said there’d be a slight change to the agenda as Chris Hyams [Head Of Human Resources & Organisational Development] needed to leave early as Cllr Foulkes said she had worked hard. Therefore they would be dealing with item 7 first which was on performance management, along with its six appendices.