Agenda item

This report presents the Council Operation Plan to the Panel for consideration and feedback as part of the Council’s operational planning and budget development process.

The Chair explained that both the Cabinet Member for Finance and Efficiency, Councillor Charles Gerrish and the Cabinet Member for Transformation and Customer Service Councillor Karen Warrington were present to answer questions from Panel members. The Chair also stressed the importance of the Panel focusing on items within their remit (pages 33-35).

The Strategic Director for Resources, Andrew Pate introduced the item and explained that other PDS Panels had scrutinized the items in their remits.

Councillor Warrington – Cabinet Member for Transformation and Customer Services introduced the key change proposals in her area (page 53)

Panel members made the following points and asked the following questions:

Councillor Furse asked about the consolidation of marketing and communications. The Cabinet Member explained that this is about rationalisation as sometimes there are slightly different ways of working.

Councillor Rayment asked about the consolidation of performance and intelligence functions and whether this will work considering the need for specialist knowledge in some areas. The Divisional Director for Strategy and Performance reassured the Panel that there will be the right balance of skills and generic approach.

Councillor Gerrish, Cabinet Member for Finance and Efficiency introduced the key change proposals in his area (page 59) with comments on the following:

·  Corporate Travel Plan – a pragmatic approach needed to improve the way staff to move around.

·  School Support – most schools are now academies

·  Traded Services – schools have been given notice that the Council will no longer provide school catering. There will be a saving for parents.

·  Commercial Estate Income – continue to generate income by seeking acquisitions along with diversification of the estate.

·  Corporate Estate & office accommodation – with the downsize in staffing, floors in Lewis House will be rented out.

·  Management Arrangements and staffing – some changes take effect from April.

·  Shared Services – moving further towards this, some services are already shared, for example with North Somerset for internal audit. There may be further opportunities in the future regarding Youth Offending Service and IT Services to Schools.

·  Digital by Choice – it is recognised that people must still be able to use traditional methods of communication if they wish to.

·  Property Company – (Councillor Gerrish stated that he is Chair of the property company ADL). He reported that the Council will continue to use ADL as a property company.

Panel members made the following points and asked the following questions:

Councillor Anketell Jones asked if there should be a target set in terms of retail holdings as there are market changes in this area and this could affect the Commercial Estate income. The Cabinet Member explained that rigid criteria has not been set but disposals will be made where appropriate.

Councillor Rayment asked about staffing which he noted is delegated to the Head of Paid Service. He stated that 300 FTE staff are going and the report states that front line services will be protected – he asked if this was the end of the democratic process on this saving. The Cabinet Member explained that the changes and restructures will evolve, there will be reviews from the top down from April starting with senior management. Councillor Rayment stated that a fundamental change to the Council structure is a political decision although staffing is not, he asked if the new structure would be subject to the democratic process. The Chief Executive Ashley Ayre explained that senior members will be involved in the senior management restructuring. He explained that there is a Restructuring Implementation Committee (which includes Group Leaders) which meets this Friday for a briefing. There will also be a report to Council regarding the wider restructuring.

Councillor Rayment asked if ‘Digital by Choice’ means that the default option is digital. Councillor Gerrish stated that this is correct and the aim is to encourage use of digital but not force people.

Councillor Furse asked about catering and IT for schools and why there are different solutions for both. He added that the bar has been set high in the quality of school meals and he did not want this to change. The Cabinet Member explained that in terms of IT – the school buy services from the Council where we work with South Gloucestershire. In terms of catering – schools have been warned that the authority no longer provides the most cost effective meals as economies of scale have been lost. He added that schools can privately source this service and support has been provided to maintain the quality. Mike Bowden, Strategic Director for People and Communities added that nutritional standards will be considered by schools who had been advised so they can built this into contracts.

Councillor Becker asked why the Council was caught out on the unexpected spend in adult care. The Cabinet Member explained that a number of care homes closed which cost over £1m to rectify. There is a higher pension cost now due to the government pension scheme and there are now additional costs for sleeping charges for staff. Finally there is the demographic issue that people are living longer and the complexity and length of care increases. The Strategic Director for People and Communities explained that in terms of SEND – the change in legislation and funding arrangements have put more pressure on the local authority.

Councillor Furse asked why (page 41) statements had nearly doubled. The Strategic Director explained that this was because legislation had broadened the age range and also there was rising complexities in care.