Hampshire County Council

Executive Member for Policy and Resources

19 October 2007

New Scheme of Governance for Registration Services

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

1

Summary

1.1

This report clarifies the background on the proposals to modernise the Registration Service. It outlines the current position within Hampshire, and details the change processes and strategies involved in adopting the New Scheme of Governance, along with the associated impacts and risks.

2

Recommendations

2.1

That approval be given to:

1. Implement a New scheme of Governance for Registration Services with effect from January 2008;

2 Establish a single `Registration District for Hampshire County Council' operating around a central register office in Winchester, with service delivery points across the County;

3 Commence public consultation during October 2007 as indicated in section 6.2;

4 The strategic arrangements and principles outlined in para 7.1.

3

Background

3.1

National Government has been trying to modernise the Registration Service for a number of years. Many of the changes needed require primary legislation, which has not been forthcoming. An attempt was made to gain approval via the Regulatory Reform Act, but this failed as the parliamentary committee considered the full parliamentary process was required.

3.2

Since this time, attempts have been made to use other routes available to modernise the service. The result has been the introduction of `New Governance Schemes' to enable the Registration Service to be provided by local authorities, independent of the Registrar General, and delivered through directly employed Registration Services staff.

3.3

Alongside this, the recent enactment of the Statistics and Registration Bill has provided a further vehicle for modernisation, key aims of which have been identified as follows:

· Setting National standards within a framework of clear accountability, designed to ensure that citizens have the right to high quality services wherever they live.

· Devolution and delegation to the front line, giving local leaders responsibility and accountability for delivery, and the opportunity to design services around the needs of local people.

· More flexibility so that public service organisations and their staff are better able to provide modern and responsive public services.

· More choice for the customer and ability, if provision is poor, to have an alternative provider.

· Change of status for statutory officers who will become local government employees.

The proposed date for implementation of the change in status for registration officers is 1^st December 2007.

3.4

In effect, a `do nothing' option does not exist since all statutory officers will become local authority employees from the above date A significant opportunity exists for the local authority to apply for New Governance in order to take advantage of the flexibility offered by the scheme.

3.5

The County Council's own internal Best Value Review of the service in 2002 resulted in an improvement plan which identified and agreed a preferred option to move to "one district" for Hampshire. An extract of the Outcome Report outlining the Summary Recommendations (dated 17/01/2002) is attached as Appendix I.

3.6

However, this option for one Hampshire registration district could not be progressed due to the inability to identify a central repository for registers of birth, death and marriage. Under the New Governance Scheme, registers will be left in situ until such time as a central repository can be identified.

4

Current Status

4.1

The Service is currently provided across eight registration districts. Statutory Officers are responsible for the delivery of the Registration Service, with accountability direct to the Registrar General. (i.e. not local authority employees). The local authority designates a Proper Officer for registration matters who has overall responsibility for the delivery of the local service. This role is currently held by the Head of Registration Services.

4.2

In recent years the Registration Service has implemented a series of key changes to include the introduction of a broad range of new and enhanced ceremonies (including Citizenship, Civil Partnership, Naming etc.), and more recently the introduction of Registration on Line (RoN), a national database which enables the online registration of births and deaths. This will be extended to cover marriages during 2008/9. The service registers on average over 12,000 births and deaths each year and conducts over 5,000 ceremonies, many of which are marriages.

5

Benefits of the New Governance Scheme

5.1

The new governance arrangements provide for a more flexible, less prescriptive scheme allowing local authorities greater discretion to deliver Registration Services which meet both national standards and local community needs.

5.2

Key benefits include:

· More local authority control

· Formal performance management and auditing

· Community focussed service

· One district -

a) Increased access for the public

b) Improved preparation for Hantsdirect

· Improved flexibility

· Recognition of Good Practice

· Efficiency savings in internal administration and financial systems

· Maintaining Hampshire's position at the forefront of Registration Services nationally

6

Change Processes

6.1

The New Governance Scheme will require a series of fundamental changes to the service. To apply for the scheme, the following actions have been progressed:

· Initial expression of interest recorded, application prepared and submitted to GRO

· Project Team established

· Project Plan produced

· Workload analysis undertaken

· Financial implications considered

· New structure prepared

· New role profiles developed and evaluated

· Staff consultation commenced (August 2007)

· Service Development Plan prepared and submitted to GRO, in line with National Good Practice Guide

· ISO 9001 accreditation achieved to meet quality standards

6.2

Other changes required include:

· It is suggested that the new District be designated the `Registration District of Hampshire County Council'. The central office for the District will be based in the current Winchester Register office - this is largely an administrative arrangement.

· Existing Statutory Officers to transfer to the direct employment of the Local Authority operating under EHCC Conditions of Service.

· Current registration district boundaries will be removed so that the public can use any current access points to register a life event or give notice of a marriage or civil partnership. Business will be monitored during the first year of operation and resources directed to those areas with highest usage.

7

Impacts

7.1

Transfer of staff

7.1.1

Existing staff are in the process of being consulted on the restructure of the service and the impact of this change upon their employment status. New roles have been developed to reflect the flexibilities afforded by the new scheme, and HR advice has been sought on an ongoing basis throughout the change process.

7.1.2

Following national talks with representative bodies, the transitional process for the transfer of Statutory Officers to local authority employment has already commenced. Whilst TUPE does not strictly apply, it is accepted nationally that Officers will transfer under no less favourable terms and conditions of service.

7.1.3

Locally, a new staffing structure has been developed which makes provision for four Area Managers. These staff will co-ordinate activity across the four geographical boundaries of the new Registration District. Details of the structure and boundaries are provided in Appendices II and III. These roles will afford an opportunity for sharing best practice, ensuring consistency of service provision and sustained improvement.

7.1.4

New roles have been defined and evaluated. Working in parallel with this, a comprehensive analysis of activity has been completed, which will inform levels of resource required for the new service. Following completion of financial profiling, discussions will commence with individual staff to inform them of the personal impacts of the change.

7.2

Community

7.2.1

It is anticipated that the impact of any changes upon the local community will be minimal, and the continuity of service provision to Hampshire Residents will be assured (see Section 7). It is therefore proposed that a public notice will be issued in October 2007 to advise of the key changes and afford the opportunity for comment and feedback. The notice will be published in the Hampshire Chronicle and on Hantsweb (see Appendix V for further detail).

7.2.2

Responses will be collated and any objections will be addressed either in person or by correspondence. Where a need is identified, meetings with local groups will be organised.

7.3

Financial

7.3.1

There will be no direct financial impact in setting up the New Governance Scheme, although it is anticipated that efficiency savings will be achieved through remodelling the staffing structure. Such efficiencies will form part of the strategy to deliver the required savings in relation to Hantsdirect.

8

Business Continuity

8.1

Service continuity will be assured through a number of key strategic arrangements:

a) The retention of fee payment for ceremonies in approved premises at weekends and bank holidays. The principal of fee payment for ceremonies which attract a charge to the public (e.g. marriages and civil partnerships) has, to date, ensured continuity of service provision. Any fundamental change to this arrangement would represent a high risk to the service.

b) On the implementation of New Governance, the current Head of Registration (Proper Officer) will retire. This event has been planned for many months. In order to implement the new structure efficiently, with minimum disruption and the effective use of resources, it is proposed that the strategic element of these functions will be added to the role of the current Head of Performance and Development. This will enable the new post of Assistant Head of Registration to be introduced to ensure, together with the four new Area Manager roles, that there is sufficient managerial resource to maintain service delivery and standards.

c) Expansion of the number of directly employed registration staff with a view to reducing the current reliance on "casuals".

d) The new structure has been designed to meet the needs of the service, with the majority of staff able to transfer into broadly similar roles.

e) Salary protection will be afforded to staff who experience pay detriment as a result of assimilation to the new pay bands, in accordance with EHCC guidelines. This is not anticipated to be significant.

f) A reduced, flexible `casual pool' of staff will still be maintained in order to meet fluctuation in demand through the calendar year.

g) No change to service delivery access points. In the new scheme, members of the public will be able to register key life events and provide notice of marriage or civil partnership at any service access point across the registration district of Hampshire County Council.

9

Conclusion

9.1

Given that the County Council has no other option but to proceed with the transfer of statutory officers into its employment, there is much to be gained from developing this opportunity to take advantage of the flexibility afforded by New Governance, as outlined in this report.

LINK(S) TO CORPORATE STRATEGY

Yes

No

Hampshire safer and more secure for all

_

Maximising well-being

_

Enhancing our quality of place

_

This proposal does not link to the Corporate Strategy but, nevertheless, requires a decision because of the requirement by national government over a number of years to modernise the Registration Service.