Archived decisions

1

Introduction

1.1

The Chief Executive took up his new role on 18 December 2007. During the interviewing process and subsequent discussion with the Leader and Members, it was agreed that the Chief Executive review the future shape of his new Department and functions and other corporate services of the Council. In the interests of efficiency, and for reasons given below an interim appointment has been made to backfill the post of Director of Property, Business & Regulatory Services in anticipation of a wider review.

1.2

It was also agreed by Cabinet in December 2007 that, as part of this wider corporate review, there would be specific consideration given to the Council's supplies and procurement functions in the light of issues surrounding Hantsdirect.

1.3

This report seeks approval to progress a review of the Council's central and corporate services and to make any necessary interim arrangements to the Chief Executive's functions until the review is implemented.

Recommendations

That:

1. The Chief Executive brings forward to the next meeting the terms of reference of a corporate review of the Council's central and corporate functions.

2. Subject to the agreement of the Leader, the Chief Executive make the required interim changes to the Chief Executive's functions as necessary and until the review is implemented.

2

Chief Executive's functions

2.1

The current Chief Executive's department and the Property, Business and Regulatory Services Department contain about 4,000 staff. The bulk o f the Council's central and corporate services were, with the exception of HR, largely reviewed in depth over ten years ago at Local Government reorganisation in 1996. Since then there has been considerable change in the governance of the Council, particularly with the introduction of a Leader and Cabinet model, a radical change in the assessment and measurement of the Council's performance through varying forms of National Performance Assessment Frameworks, and significant reviews of Education and Social care into Children's and Adult Services' Departments respectively. It would therefore seem appropriate to complete a relatively quick and in depth review of the Council's corporate and central functions.

2.2

The Chief Executive has also indicated that he would prefer that his Department's principal functions focussed on policy development and communication, major business change and transformation, and major project delivery, together with a strong focus on the corporate leadership of the organisation, building future capacity and a robust improvement and efficiency agenda. This is a significant change from the existing Chief Executive's Department, which is largely based around the Legal Practice, Democratic Services, Member Support and HR. The proposed review should also look at the organisation of the IT function within the Council. The terms of reference should be focused around:

(i) the efficient and most effective means of organising corporate services;

(ii) the development of future capacity; and

(iii) the means by which the Council can achieve improved value for money, efficiency and performance.

2.3

Initial discussions with the Leader have recognised the need for this review. It is therefore proposed that the Chief Executive bring forward suitable terms of reference to the next Executive Member for Policy and Resources meeting, and to make any necessary interim arrangements in the Chief Executive's Department that he thinks are appropriate, subject to consultation and agreement with the Leader.

2.4

It is also proposed to work out how best to carry out such a review with a mixture of internal and external resources. While any such review has the potential to cause some uncertainty, it should be borne in mind that the County Council remains a high performing Council in its own right, has demonstrated considerable resilience and flexibility over the years, and the focus of this review will be around embedding further improvement and capacity for the future. Suitable consultation with Trade Unions and staff will be required.

LINK(S) TO CORPORATE STRATEGY

Yes

No

Hampshire safer and more secure for all

X

Maximising well-being

X

Enhancing our quality of place

X

This proposal does not link to the Corporate Strategy but, nevertheless, requires a decision to enable the review of the Council's central and corporate services to begin.