The Committee will receive a brief verbal update on the processes and timetable for the Senior Restructuring process, following the retirement of the Deputy Chief Executive.
Minutes:
The Committee received a verbal update from the Council’s Organisational Development Manager (Carol Magnus) in regards to the processes and timetable for the Senior Restructuring process, following the retirement of the Deputy Chief Executive.
The Committee was informed that a review of the Senior Management structure had been carried out by the Chief Executive (Ian Davidson) and that a formal consultation had taken place. All Heads of Service and Directors had been fully involved in this process and their input into the consultation process had been extremely valuable. The Chief Executive had taken on board their suggestions and as a result had adjusted the Senior Management Structure based on some of the feedback received.
The Committee was further informed that the final agreed structure brought to life the Chief Executive’s intention to create a more flexible, integrated and fit for purpose Senior Management Team, whilst also ensuring that there was an appropriate balance between the following areas of priority for the management of the Council:
· Corporate focus and sound governance and finances;
· Community Leadership and Partnership working;
· Effective service delivery;
· Growth, strategic planning and place shaping;
· Garden Communities and Corporate Projects; and
· Improved matrix management across the organisation.
The Organisational Development Manager explained to the Committee that those changes would help ensure maximum efficiency was achieved, and that resources were deployed in the most effective manner to continue to provide an affordable and successful range of services for the District and its residents.
The Organisational Development Manager further explained to the Committee that the approach that was being taken recognised the strength of managerial talent within the Council and was consistent with the Council’s “grow your own” philosophy.
The Committee was informed that the final structure had two Corporate Directors and 7 Assistant Directors. Three of those posts (Assistant Director of Governance, Assistant Director of Finance and IT, and Assistant Director of Partnerships) would be part of the Management Team together with the Chief Executive and the Corporate Directors.
The Committee was further informed that the next stage in implementing the new Senior Management Structure, was to appoint the Assistant Director posts and that there had been a strong field of applications for the Assistant Director posts from amongst the Heads of Service. Those Heads of Service who had chosen to remain in their existing roles would play a crucial part in supporting their new Assistant Directors in delivering the function of their directorate.
It was explained to the Committee that, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, all shortlisted candidates would be interviewed by a panel including the Chief Executive, an independent HR Advisor (Marcia Fuller), three Elected Members and where applicable, the Corporate Director (Operational Services) Paul Price or the Corporate Director (Planning and Regeneration Services) Ewan Green. The first interviews had been held and the remaining interviews would take place on 3 and 4 March.
The format for the selection process was as follows:
· All candidates to comple an online Psychometric Test, which in the interest of fairness, had been administered and assessed externally by EELGA.
· A formal Interview.
All candidates would be expected to provide a ten minute
presentation, focusing on their changing role from Head of Service
to Assistant Director and their vision for their service(s) moving
forward. The interview questions would be based on the Universal
Competency Framework which they would all be familiar
with.
The appointments would be effective from 1 April 2020, which was the implementation date of the new Senior Management Structure. There would also be an away day for the new Assistant Directors with input from the Chief Executive and Corporate Directors in early April to start to embed this new structure.
The Committee noted the foregoing.