Agenda item

The Panel received a report which provided an update on developments relating to the Corporate Redesign Programme. The Strategic Director reminded the Panel that a major reorganisation of the Council was commenced last year, with a strategic long-term view in mind and key aspects including restructuring, centralisation, digitalisation and the establishment of One Worcestershire. The work was to be largely managed internally to ensure that costs were kept to a minimum. Work on the Programme was in progress, for instance a new Director for People had been appointed and a number of Assistant Directors roles had been filled. With the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic in March, most of the corporate change activity had been paused to allow the Council to focus attention on its response on the day to day challenges of the pandemic.

The Assistant Director for Transformation and Commercial advised that since August, the Transformation Programmes Team had been able to focus on how small-scale changes to the following five initiatives could be taken forward to enhance efficiency, effectiveness and capability, without the need for major structural change:

·      Creation of a Centralised Transformation and Programmes Team

·      Development of a Category Led Commercial Team

·      Creation of a Centralised Business Support Function

·      Redesign of Human Resource (HR) services/operating model

·      People Directorate Operating Model Review

The Panel was informed that the projects were being led and delivered in-house using the resource and expertise available within the Transformation and Programmes function.

Members raised a number of issues which were responded to by the Strategic Director and the Assistant Director:

In terms of what had been achieved in response to the pandemic, the Panel was informed that having a single, significant challenge for the whole organisation to focus on and respond to, had changed working practices and removed many of the obstacles that might have come into play during ‘normal’ times. The strategic way of organising work environments and the use of online meetings had been crucial.

With the refocus and restarting of the work, the Strategic Director advised that the uncertainty and false starts had not helped matters, but that there had been a lot of work carried out on new ways of working. This all needed to be carefully managed and there was a clear understanding that working from home was not a viable option for some staff in the long run. The Assistant Director highlighted that the results of the recent staff survey were feeding into the workforce and property strategy. With regard to property, focus would be on not just the numbers of buildings, but also how the space within those buildings would be most effectively used. The Assistant Director added that the gold and silver command structure had worked well and encouraged the Chief Officer Group to establish quick wins, but also to be more ambitious supporting strategic long-term goals. The Chairman was pleased to learn of this agile working, with Officers feeling empowered to deliver increased productivity with a reduced level of bureaucracy. He hoped this agile working would be retained going forward.

A Member sought clarification on the reference to people’s independence in the People Directorate Operating Model Review. The Panel was informed that this was concerned with maximising the independence of potential service users so that they did not depend on interventions before they were necessary, but that when they were needed the right support was available to them.

The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member, the Strategic Director and the Assistant Director for the report and asked that the Panel receive a further update on the Corporate Redesign Programme next year.