Agenda item

To consider a report from the Chief Executive providing the Employment in Hampshire County Council Committee with an update on the planned organisational and Senior Leadership team changes.

The Employment in Hampshire County Council (EHCC) Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive regarding the proposed organisational restructure. It was noted that this report built on changes presented to the committee previously and that since those changes, further consideration had been given to how the authority could be better organised to respond to and deliver the ambitions and priorities of the County Council.

Members received a detailed overview of the principles underpinning the proposed high-level organisation model and an explanation of the move from departments to directorates. It was noted that Culture, Communities and Business Service’s and Economy, Transport and Environment would be disbanded. In their place two new directorates would be created: Hampshire 2050, delivering on the Hampshire 2050 vision and Universal Services, bringing together the delivery of public facing services available to all.

The committee heard how this would lead to some redundancies and recruitment to some posts would be required and the proposed salary framework and severance payment structure was provided.

In response to questions members found that:

·         The new Director role for Hampshire 2050 would aim to further increase collaboration with District Councils, focusing on Hampshire in a broader sense.

·         There was a review of the County Council’s current scrutiny arrangements to see how best to keep them in line with the proposed structure.

·         The restructure aimed to increase on the current levels of cross department working. It was noted that while some areas, such as Public Health, sat within a particular directorate there would be mechanisms to allow them to fully engage with the other directorates.

RESOLVED:

That the EHCC Committee:

Note the principles underpinning the redesign of the Organisation structureand Senior Leadership (Chief Officer and Deputy Chief Officer) roles, asoutlined in paragraph 16 of the report.

Note the changes to the current organisational structure (directorates andservice reporting lines), as outlined in paragraphs 17 to 20 of the report and Appendix 3. These are summarised below:

a) The Economy, Transport and Environment (ETE) and the Culture,Communities and Business Services (CCBS) departments will bedisbanded.

b) A new directorate will be created (Universal Services) which will bringtogether those services which are universally available to all residents ofHampshire.

c) A new directorate (Hampshire 2050) will be created which will place aclear focus on the PLACE that is Hampshire, and our ambitions for theCounty as described in the Hampshire 2050 Vision.

d) The renaming of the HR, OD, Communications and Engagementdepartment to the People and Organisation directorate, and which willincorporate Law and Governance corporate functions.

Note the various changes to the Senior Leadership team (Chief Officer andDeputy Chief Officer) roles and the selection and appointment process forthese, as outlined in paragraphs 21 to 29 of the report and in Exempt Appendix 4.

Agree the proposed new salary framework for Chief Officers and Deputy ChiefOfficers, as noted in paragraphs 30 to 32 of the report and detailed in Appendix 5. Thesalary framework formalises existing pay arrangements and does notrepresent an increase in Chief Officer or Deputy Chief Officer remuneration.

Provide delegated authority to the Chief Executive to agree the remunerationof Chief Officers and Deputy Chief Officers as part of this restructure, and forfuture recruitment of Chief Officer and Deputy Chief Officer roles, includingthe spot-salaries of appointed officers, providing these are aligned to andwithin the parameters of the proposed salary framework as detailed withinparagraph 33 of the report, except for two existing contractual arrangements noted inparagraph 35 of the report.

Confirm that the delegated authority above includes adelegation to approve severance payments to Deputy Chief Officers and ChiefOfficers, including Special Severance Payments below £100,000. As noted inparagraph 34 of the report, before exercising such delegation in respect of SpecialSeverance Payments of £20,000 or more, but below £100,000, the ChiefExecutive will consult with the Chair of EHCC Committee.

Note the estimated financial savings of £740,000 that will be delivered bythese proposals, as noted in paragraph 36 of the report.