Agenda and minutes

Also in attendance:

Councillor Iain Roberts

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 August 2014.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 14 August 2014 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations were made

To report any urgent action taken under the Constitution since the last meeting of the Committee.

No urgent decisions were reported.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair of the Committee on any matters within the powers and duties of the Committee, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice (Questions must be submitted prior to the commencement of the meeting on the cards provided. These are available the meeting and at local libraries and information centres.  You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions.

No urgent decisions were reported.

To consider whether it is in the public interest to exclude the public during the consideration of the remaining agenda item relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority); the disclosure of which would not be fair and would therefore be in breach of  Data Protection principles.

RESOLVED - That in order to prevent the disclosure of information which was not for publication relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority), the disclosure of which would not be in the public interest, would not be fair and would be in breach of Data Protection principles, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Agenda Item 6 “Senior Management Arrangements”.

To consider a report of the Chief Executive.

Officer contact: Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive on 0161 474 3001 e-mail eamonn.boylan@stockport.gov.uk

The Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the current position and proposing further changes to the Council’s Senior Management Team.

This report specified proposed changes to the Senior Management Structure of the Council, focusing on the Corporate and Support Services function.

Members of the Committee expressed concern over the capacity of the Senior Team to manage the very broad and complex work load both in Stockport and at Greater Manchester Level.  The Chief Executive explained that he believed that the proposed new structure would give sufficient capacity and would also help reduce the risk of the Council losing significant skills and capability.

The Chief Executive advised the Committee that further reports on changes to the Senior Structures in the Place and People Directorates would be brought forward later in the year.

The Committee resolved to not “endorse” the proposed structure but to “note” it and grant delegated authority to the Chief Executive to implement the proposals.

RESOLVED – (1)  That approval be given to the deletion of the post of Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services, and the consequent redundancy and early retirement of the current post-holder on or around 31 March 2016 in line with the Council’s policy on such matters.

(2) That approval be given to the establishment of the post of Borough Treasurer, on a job description and at a salary to be determined by the Chief Executive, and to the recruitment to that post as set out in the report with the appointment being made by this Committee.

(3) That the deletion of the Head of Finance post as outlined in the new arrangement for management of the finance function be noted.

(4) That the proposed new senior management structure within the finance function and the process for recruitment, as set out in the report be noted.

(5) That the proposed changes of the management arrangements in the Corporate and Support Services Directorate be noted.

(6) That the proposed review of senior management in the Place Directorate with the need to revisit the leadership and management arrangements in the Services to Place Directorate at the appropriate time when service redesigns are agreed be noted.

(7) That the need to revisit the leadership and management arrangements in the Services to People Directorate at the end of the development of the implementation plan for the integration of health and social care be noted.

(8) That the Chief Executive be authorised to make the necessary arrangements to effect the above decisions.