Meeting documents

Cabinet
Tuesday, 21 March 2006

CA210306-06

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ITEM CA6

CABINET – 21 MARCH 2006

ESTABLISHMENT REVIEW

Report by Head of Human Resources

Background

  1. This report provides an update on activity since implementation of the new Establishment Review and associated Recruitment Approval process on 1 August 2005. It makes particular reference to the objectives and targets of the Review and progress made against them. In addition it gives details of the agreed establishment figure at 30 June 2005 and staffing numbers at 31 December 2005.

    2. Objectives of the Review

  2. The overall objectives of the review are to:-

    • gain control over the numbers of staff, which should result in an initial stabilisation and subsequent reduction in numbers as well as cost savings;

    • achieve a shift in distribution of resources to front-line services and certain approved business critical roles;

    • reduce overall costs associated with temporary/interim staff and recruitment advertising;

    • handle redeployment more effectively;

    • raise accountability across the Council in terms of resource allocation.

Progress against targets

  1. To ensure that we delivered the agreed objectives of the Establishment Review a number of targets were proposed. These are outlined below with a statement of progress to date.

  2. The identification of an agreed establishment figure as a base-line. The proposal was that we use the 30 June 2005 actual staff numbers and ask Heads of Service and Business Managers to confirm the number of vacancies they were carrying at that date. This total would become the establishment figure – which would be reported in terms of FTE (Full Time Equivalents). This was done and the results are shown at Annex 1 (download as .doc file); the total of Established Posts at 30 June 2005 is 5064.

  3. A documented case for each vacancy, with a detailed audit trail for a decision to recruit or remove from establishment would be put in place. This has been done. An agreed format for applications was put in place for 1 August 2005.

  4. An agreed description of front-line, business critical and back-office services would be in place. This has been done via the creation of a list of posts which are exempt from the scope of the establishment review. All other posts go through the recruitment approval process.

  5. A centralised system of approvals for recruitment based in Corporate HR. This has been done, with the system going live on 1 August 2005. We now have a clear "business as usual" process in place across the Council with the objective of turning around requests within two working days of receipt.

  6. The involvement of the Cabinet member for Change Management in the process. Regular updates on progress are in place.

  7. All staff in the redeployment pool to be considered for each vacancy before it is advertised and a documented decision placed on file. This is an integral part of the recruitment approval process; directorate HR teams check the redeployment register before any advert is placed.

  8. There were also annual reduction targets set for the costs of hiring temporary staff and recruitment advertising. We are continuing to drive efficiencies in both areas and will report progress at financial year end.

    9. Current Numbers

  9. The establishment and staffing numbers (FTE) as at 31 December 2005 are shown at Annex 2 (download as .doc file) by directorate and at Annex 3 (download as .doc file) with service breakdown. In headline terms the numbers are as follows:-

    10. 30 June 2005 – Establishment 5064 (FTE in post 4537)

    30 Sept 2005 – Establishment 5277 (FTE in post 4635)

    31 Dec 2005 – Establishment 5131 (FTE in post 4663)

  10. There have been 267 applications through the Recruitment Approval process since 1 August. Of these:-

    • 185 were approved for permanent appointment;

    • 75 were approved on a temporary basis;

    • 7 were declined.

  1. Although the number of applications declined seems small, the figures hide the fact that a number of applications were returned to the recruiting managers for further information – which allowed applications which would have been declined on initial submission to be approved after more work was carried out. There is no doubt that the cases made for filling posts have been much stronger as the process has evolved.

  2. In addition, a number of applications approved to fill on a temporary basis were originally requested as permanent appointments. This is making a contribution towards the initial stabilisation of numbers and should afford opportunity to subsequently reduce them.

  3. During the period 1 October to 31 December there were 668 new starters with the Council, 391 of which were Schools and 277 non-schools.

    4. Process Improvements

  4. There has been a lot of activity since 1 August to make sure that we are able to secure real benefit from the Establishment Review and Recruitment Approval process. More needs to be done but the view from the HR community is that we have a process in place which, when allied to the work that has been carried out on cleaning the organisational management information on SAP, gives us accurate people information to work with.

  5. The agreed establishment figure will need to be recast to reflect the organisational changes made as part of Directorate Realignment. Work is still being carried out to define new structures as part of the directorate re-alignment and will continue until the end of March 2006. Although the realignment was effective from 1 January 2006, work to reflect the new structures will not be carried out on SAP until April. This means that management information for the new directorates will not be available until the June 2006 report. The 31 March 2006 report will therefore still reflect the old structures.

  6. Heads of Service have been asked to provide reports by their service area on the following basis:

    • Establishment figure (FTE)

    • Authorised vacancies at that time included in that number

    • FTE and vacancies position at (particular) quarter end

    • Reasons for movement

    • Number of posts removed from/added to the establishment

  1. An example of the template Heads of Service are asked to sign off in support of the Establishment Review is shown at Annex 4 (download as .doc file). The figures supplied in this report are supported by a completed return for each service.

  2. Following discussion with Cabinet members last month, we are additionally seeking information on:-

    • Numbers of grant funded posts in the establishment figures

    • How many vacancies are being covered by agency staff (and at what cost)

  1. A first cut of this additional information is included at Annex 2 (download as .doc file) (at directorate level). This will be provided at a service level next time.

  2. There has also been work done on reviewing the list of posts originally regarded as exempt from the review. The original criterion used to define which posts should be exempt was broad. The new criteria applied for a revised (and reduced) list were those services where the Establishment Review would not add to an already existing robust recruitment process or where we had no direct control (e.g. schools), and, where there were front-line staff in particularly sensitive areas. The revised list of posts is shown at Annex 5 (download as .doc file).

    3. RECOMMENDATION

  3. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

          1. note the report;

          2. confirm that through the further process improvements indicated in the report that the Establishment Review continues to meet requirements in reporting ed managing staffing numbers.

STEVE MUNN
Head of Human Resources

Contact Officer: Sue James, Corporate HR Officer, 01865 815465.

March 2006

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