Issue - meetings

The Committee considered a report on the first stage of the Future Guildford transformation programme which was the restructure of the Corporate Management Team, which included the reduction of the number of Directors by one post.

Councillors noted that a formal consultation had commenced with those employees who may be affected.

Once the consultation was complete, the Managing Director in consultation with the Leader would present the staffing structure and responsibilities of senior posts (that is, at Director level), to the Committee.

The report did not seek approval in respect of that structure, as such a decision would be informed by the responses gathered as part of the consultation process and be the subject of a future meeting of this Committee.

However, recognising that whatever the structure and posts adopted following consultation – there may be redundancies, the budget for associated redundancy costs must be provided, and that as such costs would be in excess of £95,000, the approval of full Council was required, in accordance with Part 3 of the Constitution and the Council’s Pay Policy Statement.

The report:

·        Noted the process that was being undertaken for the review of Corporate Management Team (CMT)

·        Highlighted the termination costs against each of the relevant posts included in the pool of Directors

·        Sought authority from the Committee to ask the Council to agree authorising payment of the specific amount to the relevant Director.  This would be on the understanding that it would only be made if the proposal for going from four Directors to three was implemented after the formal consultation period had concluded, and after the Committee had gone through the selection process. 

Having considered the report, the Committee

RECOMMEND:

(1)     That the costs associated with the redundancy of each of the Directors, as set out in the table in paragraph 3.1 of the report submitted to the Committee be noted, and that approval be given for a financial settlement with a Director to the appropriate level where the decision of the Employment Committee has the effect of terminating the employment of that Director.

(2)     That it be noted that this approval is to be sought notwithstanding that the proposals are the subject of consultation, and that those proposals are not yet adopted.

Reason:

To enable a senior management team restructure.