Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Corporate Services

Forward Plan Ref: 2022/095

Contact: Karen Edwards, Director of Human Resources

Report by Corporate Director Customers, Organisational Development & Resources (CA9).

Quarterly staffing report providing details of key people numbers and analysis of main changes since the previous report.

The Cabinet is recommended to note the report

Recommendation approved.

Cabinet was asked to note the report providing an update on the key strategic workforce priority areas for Quarter 2 and a refreshed workforce profile at Appendix 1.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, summarised the report.  She noted that it was the last report from Karen Edwards, Director of HR, who was leaving the Council at the end of December.  She wished to thank Karen Edwards in particular for steering the Council through the challenges posed by Brexit and Covid-19.

Councillor Phillips highlighted that the report showed improved workforce planning, including work to increase diversity, more development of our own staff and increased agile working.  The report also explained the need to extricate the Council from Hampshire’s Integrated Business Centre which has proven to be insufficiently adaptable to meet our needs.

Councillor Phillips also drew attention to the plans to reduce reliance on agency staff, in Children’s Services in particular.  It should be noted that staff numbers have increased in response to increasing demand for services.

Cabinet Members welcomed the moves to take back control of the Council’s recruitment and retention of staff as well as the measures to develop more of our own staff.  The challenges posed by the demand for housing in the county and the very tight workforce market were also acknowledged.

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Phillips, seconded by Councillor Miller and agreed.

RESOLVED to note the report.