ITEM CA10
CABINET – 18 DECEMBER 2007
ESTABLISHMENT REVIEW
Report by Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development
Introduction
1. This report provides an update on
activity since implementation of the 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 September 2007 together with staff numbers reported at that date. 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
3. 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.
4. The identification of an agreed establishment figure. All service areas within directorates have an agreed establishment figure, which is updated on a quarterly basis. The Workforce Information Team within Shared Services are working closely with service areas to ensure establishment data is accurate.
5. A documented case for each vacancy, with a detailed audit trail for a decision to recruit or remove from establishment, has been in place since August 2005.
6. An agreed description of front-line, business critical and back-office services would be in place. The exempt list was reduced in scope with effect from 1 April 2006 and continues to be monitored in terms of appropriateness.
7. A centralised system of approvals for recruitment. It has been operational since 1 August 2005 and transferred from Corporate HR & OD to Shared Services on 19 November 2007. There is a clear “business as usual” process in place across the Council with the objective of turning around requests within five working days of receipt. This also includes vacancies going through the Job Finder service.
8. The involvement of the Cabinet Member for Change Management in the process. Regular updates on progress are in place.
9. All staff in the redeployment pool to be considered for each vacancy. This is now an integral part of the recruitment approval process. All vacancies coming through the approvals process go to the Job Finder Service before being released for advertisement. Procedures have been tightened up since the transfer of HR into Shared Services and exempt posts are now also part of this process. Since the Job Finder Service was introduced in January 2007, there have been 21 successful redeployments.
10. There were also annual reduction targets set for the costs of hiring temporary staff and recruitment advertising. We are continuing to drive efficiency savings in both areas. Now that recruitment has moved to Shared Services, a recruitment line has been set up as one point of contact for the public which has reduced the necessity to print several different contact numbers in composite advertisements
Current numbers
11. Establishment changes between 1 July 2007 and 30 September 2007 are shown below.
Establishment Changes between 1 July 2007 and 30 September 2007
A breakdown of movements by directorate and service area is provided at Appendices 1 and 2.
12. In support of this Heads of Service continue to provide reports by their service area on the following basis (dates below reflect this quarter’s reporting):
13. In headline terms, the establishment and staffing numbers (FTE) as at 30 September 2007 are Establishment 5236.81 (FTE in post 4657.89). These figures exclude the school bloc.
14. The latest trend data on the balance of teaching and non-teaching staff is as follows:
15. There have been 1381 applications through the Recruitment Approval process during the period 1 August 2005 and 30 September 2007.
16. During the period 1 July 2007 to 30 September 2007 there were 1468 new starters with the Council, 1044 of which were Schools and 424 non-schools.
Current activity
17. In taking the Establishment Review forward into its second year, we agreed three additional areas which needed further attention:
· Trend data on the balance between teaching and non-teaching staff would be monitored and included in future reports (see paragraph 14). · Vacancies held for longer than 6 months would need to be justified by directorates. These are under continual challenge with our service areas via the HR Business Partners. The Workforce Information team now established within our Shared Services Centre is also working closely with managers to ensure establishment information is updated regularly. · Balance between full time and part time workers would be monitored to ensure that the best interests of the Council and the taxpayer are served. For information, the numbers as at 30 September 2007 were as follows: Full time – 7542 and Part time – 13372. This equates to a total of 13296.0 FTE.
18. A critical review of the establishment monitoring process has been carried out as part of the move of this work to the Shared Services Centre, based on feedback from our managers. Further improvements are planned and will be implemented over the coming months. Proposals will be agreed with CCMT and the Cabinet Member for Change Management prior to implementation.
19. All requests to recruit continue to be channelled through the Job Finder Service to ensure that anyone whose job is at risk is considered prior to advertising, if they meet the minimum specification for the job.
RECOMMENDATION
20. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) note the report; and,
(b) confirm that the Establishment Review continues to meet the Cabinet’s requirements in reporting and managing staffing numbers.
STEVE MUNN Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development
Background Papers: Nil
Contact Officer: Sue James, Corporate HR Officer, 01865 815465.
December 2007
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