Shake-up at council will save just £20k
Chief Executive remains in place as Viewforth axe falls
A major shake up of senior management at Stirling Council will make just £20,000 worth of savings – without including severance costs.
The review, approved by full council last Thursday, will see chief executive Stewart Carruth remain at the helm, but with just one depute chief executive and no service directors between him and a tier of 13 senior managers and chief officers.
The savings from the posts being removed total £589,466. However, the new posts total £518,044. Adding in training and recruitment costs of £20,000 and post upgrades of £30,000 the net saving will be just £21,422.
The move may see some current senior management accepting or having to reapply for other posts, with some possibly facing a decision to take voluntary severance.
Some Tory councillors questionned the restructure.
Bridge of Allan councillor Douglas Dodds said while he was not criticising the chief executive’s judgement, he had some concerns that one depute chief executive would have responsbility for nine portfolios, adding it could be “too much and too stressful” despite the heads of department being “professionals in their own right”.
Mr Carruth said he was confident with the proposed structure in terms of affordability and meeting the council’s aims, and that the net savings were “incremental”, with any voluntary severance costs being looked at separately and on an individual basis and circumstances.
He added: “The proposed changes will provide a more efficient organisational structure that better enables the council to meet its financial and operational challenges, and to deliver the council’s key priorities.
“The review is limited in scope to reflect a need for some change and to avoid unnecessary disruption to the whole workforce.
“If the implementation of this restructure requires a competitive recruitment/competitive selection process to appoint an individual to any of the senior manager or chief officer posts within the revised senior management structure then an appointments panel of elected members will be convened for this purpose.
“The current remit of the post of Director Children, Communities and Enterprise will be varied to not only provide strategic direction across those services formerly within that directorate but also the majority of those within the Localities and Infrastructure directorate. The title of this post will also be changed to depute chief executive to reflect this variation. This will enable a more holistic overview of council operations and facilitate the implementation of place-based decision-making, so actively support the delivery of the council’s key priorities within existing budgets.
“The main drivers for this change are the transition of Adult Social Services to the Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health and Social Care Partnership (Integration Joint Board); a need for more cohesive and inclusive approach to housing; the imminent City Region Deal; and the recently vacant Director of Localities and Infrastructure post.”
Tory group leader Councillor Neil Benny said given the assurances from Mr Carruth they were prepared to support the changes with “notes of caution”.
Council leader Scott Farmer said: “We have confidence in the organisational structure put forward but we live in changing times and an organisation like Stirling Council with ambitions has a need to make changes in order to achieve strategic priorities. I believe this structure will.”