Senior council jobs shake-up to save £280k

ASHAKE-UP of the senior management structure at Swansea council would save around £280,000 per year and strengthen accountability, the chief executive has said.

Phil Roberts said the planned overhaul of senior positions would also enable the authority to keep on top of the growing number of regional projects it is involved in.

The proposal, to be discussed at a full council meeting on June 21, would delete five posts: director of resources, director of people, chief social services officer, chief education officer and head of financial services.

Five other posts would be created: deputy chief executive, who would also take on director of resources responsibilities, director of social services, director of education, deputy chief finance officer and deputy chief legal officer. Two posts would be replaced with different titles, and a vacant one would be amended and filled.

The upshot is that the top table of directors and chief officers, who report to the chief executive, would reduce from 10 to nine.

Any new post with a remuneration of £100,000 or more would be advertised externally and internally.

Meanwhile, other savings would be made by cutting senior posts within the department which deals with waste management, cultural services, planning and transport.

“The proposals in this report achieve savings in the range of £274,804 to £289,007,” said Mr Roberts.

They have been forwarded to an outside body, the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, and subject to its approval a 30-day consultation would take place with affected staff.

A council spokesman added: “It’s important the council continues to reduce senior management costs so any savings can be re-invested directly in frontline services.

“If (full) council approves the report then, subject to consultation, we will press ahead as quickly as possible to make the savings, minimise disruption and ensure organisational stability.”