TOP jobs could be axed at Wellingborough Council in an attempt to streamline its management structure.
As part of the cost cutting exercise to the council’s budget, 23 management positions could be lost.
The current management structure is: Chief executive, deputy chief executive (post vacant), three directors, seven heads of services and 28 service managers.
If the changes go ahead the new structure will be: One chief executive, two directors, four heads of services and 16.5 principal officers.
Deputy chief executive Joe Hubbard said: “It is a national issue about the affordability of services.
“It does require a rethink in how we provide and pay for public services.
“The figures have changed since our primary assumption.
“When we first produced our medium finance plan it was to save £3 million over three/four years.
“In the intervening time we have made some efficiency savings.
Circumstances change, our income charges change and we are also aware the comprehensive spending review in October will see a reduction in our Government grant.
“In some ways we are in a fortunate position as we do have a reasonable amount of reserves and that does give us a certain amount of flexibility.
“We need to have a balanced budget. The money we get from council tax, Government grants, fees and charges needs to be balanced and we need £12 million a year to deliver the service we do.
“If we are looking at a £2.5 million or £3 million reduction in two/three years then our budget will be reduced to £9 millon.”
A report on this management restructure is set to be discussed by the council’s community committee next Wednesday.
The report sets out five recommendations:
- Note the options for the structure of the council, with its emphasis on reducing costs, streamlining management and continuing to deliver frontline services.
- Support management option one, subject to consultation. This is likely to realise £933,000 in savings once any protection periods have ended (maximum one year), the cost of severance payments will be in the region of £510,000.
- Note the consultation period for both members and officers ends on September 24.
- Approve the revised seven point salary band for directors based on 60 per cent of the chief executive’s salary scale to take effect following the restructure of the council’s management.
- Determine all future appointments to job-evaluated posts be based on a seven point scale.
Mr Hubbard said this process Wellingborough Council was going through is allowing it to look at all its services and how it might do things differently.
He added: “It is an opportunity to streamline the management of the authority.
“The people of the borough will not see a noticeable change in frontline services but there will be change in the way we deliver the service.”
