Issue - meetings

Received a report on proposals for the formation of a new Children’s Services Department within the Council, developed in line with the requirements of the Children Act 2004, and the principles for reshaping the Council’s organisational structure by 1 April 2006.

Agreed, in order to meet statutory requirements to establish new Children’s Services arrangements, to place the interests of children at the heart of the Council’s policy planning and delivery and to provide for better joined up strategies and intervention to promote better outcomes for the Borough’s children, to:

(i)  The formation of a Children’s Services Department with effect from 1 April 2006, in line with the requirements of the Children Act 2004, as detailed in the report;

(ii)  The Chief Executive implementing the proposed senior management structure at first, second and third tier levels, including a new chief officer post of Corporate Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the affected officers;

(iii)  The proposed JNC grades for first/second tier posts as set out in the report, using the Council’s existing grading system / levels that were introduced following the last JNC pay review in 2002/3;

(iv)  The Chief Executive implementing any minor changes to line responsibilities and designations, in the light of consultation, for the Children’s Services structure; and

(v)  The principles set out in section 5 of the report being adopted by the Chief Executive in bringing forward recommendations for late November for a new Council-wide organisational structure.

Noted the indicative timescales for the implementation of the new Children’s Services senior management structure and for the Council-wide reorganisation.  In respect of the Children’s Services proposals, further noted that:

a)  The Chief Executive will carry out an assimilation exercise whereby ringfenced JNC officers will be interviewed by the Member Appointments Panel;

b)  Consultation and ringfencing for third tier (Group Manager) posts will be carried out in accordance with the Council’s Human Resources procedures;

c)  Posts where no ringfencing applies, or where no appointment is made following ringfencing, will be externally advertised;

d)  Appointments to JNC posts will be made as soon as possible in order that a shadow Departmental Management Board is established at the earliest opportunity to implement procedures, protocols and systems required, as well as deal with slotting-in, ringfencing and appointment processes for the third tier (Group Manager) posts;

e)  All posts currently placed on the Soulbury grade at second/third tier level will in future be assessed using the LSMR structure;

f)  Detailed proposals for the operation of a Children’s Trust will be made to the Executive before 1 April 2006;

g)  Progress on key operational developments, such as Information Sharing and Assessment (ISA) cross-agency training to promote the safeguarding of children and a workforce development strategy will be reported to the Executive in December 2005; and

h)  The Director of Finance will carry out a detailed exercise to disaggregate existing budget holder accountabilities to set up new departmental budgets for 1 April 2006.