Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to identify additional staffing implications arising from the revised financial position for 2016/17.  This set of changes was subject to public consultation, which has now closed.  The savings proposed were agreed by the Executive on 14 June 2016.  The proposals have also been to a meeting of the Local Joint Committee for consultation.  The Employment Committee is now asked to consider the report.

The Committee considered a report dealing with additional staffing implications arising from the revised financial position for 2016/17.  These arose from the need to make savings to meet the £2.4m budget gap identified following the budget settlement announcement. 

The budget proposals had focussed, as far as possible, on making savings and efficiencies in areas which would have the least direct impact on residents.  However, for these services there would be an impact on residents and a twelve week public consultation exercise had commenced on 24 February running until 17 May 2016.  No representations had been made during the period.  An equalities impact assessment had also been carried out.  The savings proposals had been agreed by the Executive on 14 June 2016.

The savings proposed redundancies in two areas:

a)         Youth Services – a saving of £75k from the Youth Service included the deletion of 12 part-time youth worker posts (1.88 FTE) meaning that Centres would be open for less time.  Of the 12 posts, four were vacant and two of the remaining eight had been offered redeployment opportunities.  The impact was therefore six posts redundant (0.73 FTEs) or, if the redeployment trial was unsuccessful, eight posts redundant (1.48 FTEs).

b)         Childrens’ Services – the Council had two Childcare Development Officers in post and the post identified for deletion had responsibility for developing and maintaining the network of home-based childcare provision.  The Childminder Network, which had been under review for the past 6 months as it was no longer delivering outcomes for vulnerable families, was due to be wound up and a Development Officer position would no longer be required to support it.  The impact was therefore one full time post redundant.

The Committee considered an Exempt Appendix containing schedule of the posts affected, including details of the postholders, redundancy payments, total cost and pay back period for each.

Arising from questions and discussion, the following points emerged:

·                     Further  dialogue was needed  with Town Councils that would be affected by the loss of some Youth Centre opening hours with a view to reaching an agreement on a financial arrangement by which the service could be maintained.  The Committee was concerned that a final decision on redundancies should not be taken in advance of a conclusion to these discussions, given the important role of Youth Workers in supporting young people in the Borough.  The addition of a rider to the recommendation was proposed..

·                     There was concern that the one remaining Childcare Development Officer may be an insufficient resource to deal with Special Educational Needs duties and provide support where required to the childminders registered within the Borough.  Members were invited to take up this concern directly with the Executive Member responsible.

RESOLVED that:

1          Authority be delegated to the Director of Children, Young People and Learning, in consultation with the Chairman, to approve the deletion of the posts identified in Exempt Appendix B with effect from the dates indicated, subject to the Council approving the recommendations from the Executive on 13 July.

2          Authority be delegated to the Director of Children, Young People and Learning, in consultation with the Chairman, to agree that the post-holders are declared redundant in accordance with the terms set out in that Exempt Appendix with the costs being met from the Structural Changes Fund subject to any appeals, any redeployment opportunities offered to those affected, and the Council approving the recommendations  from the Executive on 13 July.

3          The Director of Children, Young People and Learning actively pursues discussions with relevant Town and Parish Councils, in order to seek agreement to maintain the Youth Service, before a final decision is made.