Agenda item

The Preparing for the Future Programme will deliver changes to how we work which will streamline our use of office buildings and provide a more flexible workforce?that reflects the changes in how we now work and how we will deliver services in the future. The aim is to equip all staff to have a good day’s work by providing them with the right technology, enabling blended working, being flexible in our approach to promote wellbeing and ensuring an effective work/life balance.

Councillor Richard Samuel introduced the report by saying that the pandemic has had profound impact on the way the Council had to organise its staff to provide services.  During the past year there were over 1,000 staff members working from home which presented a major challenge to IT systems as well as establishing wholly new patterns of work. The Council had to adapt to new ways of working which had forced a major rethink about the use of office space.

The Council's preparing for the future programme sets out the next stages of the programme for which the resources have been allocated within the forthcoming budget.

Councillor Richard Samuel moved the recommendations.

Councillor Dine Romero seconded the motion by saying that it was important for the Council staff to be able to work in an environment that best suits their individual needs.  For many this has been working from home but for some this has proven to be much more of a challenge. Councillor Romero added that Keynsham Civic Centre has not been used as effectively as it could be and the preparing for future programme would allow more flexibility for the staff to consider each individual’s needs.

The Chair invited Amanda George (Interim Director of Business Recovery) to take the Cabinet through the details of this report.

Amanda George thanked the Chair and read out the following:

‘This paper follows the Cabinet paper presented on 10 December 2020 which provided an update on the property services service review and included a summary of the preparing for the future programme. This paper provides further detail on this programme of work.

The Council has for some time been reviewing the way we work. Prior to the Covid pandemic progress had been made on plans to adapt Keynsham Civic Centre to improve utilisation, provide a more modern working environment and create greater flexibility to enable more effective collaboration.

In common with many organisations the pandemic has now accelerated the progress of these plans. A great deal has been learnt, both from staff surveys and engaging with staff, about how staff have adapted to working flexibly during the last 10 months and this has meant we are able to now consider how a blended working approach, where staff have the choice in how and where they work, is possible for the future. 

The Preparing for the Future Programme?has many benefits for both the Council and staff as follows:

•  an opportunity to allow blended working for most office-based staff which will mean that they can organise their time and working location to benefit themselves, their team, and their clients.  For many staff this will include a reduction in commuting stress, time and cost and enable a better work-life balance.

•  a break-down of silo working between services and the opportunity for increased collaboration between teams leading to improved staff morale, well-being?and productivity.

•  greater flexibility and increased efficiency of staff who will be provided with the right IT?equipment?to complement the new ways of working.

•  reduced operating?costs through a reduction of office buildings?and rationalisation of office space along with the opportunity to create revenue through the?commercial letting of Lewis House.

•  an internal re-design of Keynsham Civic Centre which will enhance the space, resolve some existing equalities issues, contribute towards climate change initiatives and improve the capacity and efficiency of the office building across the week.

•  increased hot desking arrangements in some of our offices in the Guildhall for staff who need touch down spaces in Bath.

•  reciprocal arrangements with our key partners so that staff have some options about where they work, which are not just at Keynsham Civic Centre, the Guildhall or at home. These options could also help to reduce travel time and cost for some staff and contribute to a better work life balance.

A communication change management and engagement plan is in place with staff. Regular written communications are issued to staff and members, and a service user group is in place to allow full consultation with all service areas. The trade unions are also updated on a monthly basis.

The focus for the next stage of the programme is on the re-design of Keynsham Civic Centre to increase capacity, maximise utilisation of the building and enable staff to work differently.  The short-term investment plans associated with the redesign are set out in the report and these costs will be recovered over time.

The concept designs for the internal re-design of the building will be confirmed by the end of March 2020 with the final designs and the technical specification for any works needed by end of June 2020. Whilst the designs are taking shape work will also take place to test prototypes and re-arrange existing furniture to created activity based working areas.

So, to summarise the aim of the preparing for the future programme is to create a workspace that really enables modern and efficient service delivery and fully supports the needs of our staff and the Council.’

Councillor David Wood welcomed the report as being a forward-thinking way for the Council.  There was a necessity to change the way we work, due to the pandemic, but also to allow greater flexibility to Council staff in terms of the new working patterns.

Councillor Richard Samuel added that it would be useful for the Cabinet to receive an update on the progress of Keynsham Civic Centre re-design at one of the future meetings.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet agreed with the aims of the Preparing for the Future programme and to note the progress that has been made with the programme to date.