Issue - meetings

(CPT: 14)

Purpose:  To note changes to the establishment.

Resolved that the Establishment Report for Quarter 4 2010/11 report be noted.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 29 July 2011, then it will be implemented.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 12) concerning changes to the Establishment.

Councillor Anthony Stansfeld in introducing the report advised that this would be the last of the detailed quarterly reports, with six monthly reports only to be provided to the Executive in future (at the end of quarters two and four). A quarterly summary would still be provided to himself, Councillor Graham Jones and Councillor Keith Chopping (copied to Corporate Directors) at the end of quarters one and three.

Councillor Stansfeld explained that the fourth quarter of 2010/11 was a period of considerable change and highlighted the following aspects of the report in support of this statement:

·                    The total Council Establishment decreased by 103.72 FTE to a figure of 1628.88 FTE.

·                    The Council funded Establishment decreased by 73.88 FTE to a figure of 1418.39 FTE.

·                    The external and joint funded Establishment decreased by 29.84 to a figure of 210.48 FTE.

Councillor Stansfeld added that the overall vacancy rate had reduced by nearly 2% from the end of quarter three. The rolling voluntary turnover rate was 14.69%, but the figure exclusive of redundancies was 7.4%.

In terms of staffing reduction, Councillor Stansfeld stated that a greater impact had been felt by back office/support functions with front line services protected where possible. It was however hoped that support services would remain more stable as they formed a critical element of the Council’s work.

In terms of the change to the reporting cycle, Councillor Alan Macro asked if the summary report would be available to the Resource Management Working Group. Councillor David Rendel also asked if it could be provided to Councillor Jeff Brooks as the Opposition Spokesman for this area. Councillor Stansfeld agreed to both requests.

(Councillor Jeff Brooks joined the meeting at 7.24pm).

Councillor Rendel sought clarity on the figures stated in the report for the rolling annual turnover rate, as it appeared that annual figures for 2010/11 were compared with quarterly figures from 2009/10. Councillor Graham Jones agreed that this comparison was not appropriate and should be amended in future reports. (It had subsequently been clarified that the comparison of turnover was always between rolling years and never quarters and therefore the comparison was appropriate and would not be amended in future reports).

Councillor Rendel was surprised to note that the rolling voluntary turnover, when redundancies were excluded, was higher than in the previous year, particularly when considering the economic situation. Councillor Stansfeld responded by saying that part of the explanation for this was that West Berkshire had been less affected by the downturn than was the case in many other areas across the country.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Reason for the decision: Not applicable.

Other options considered: None.