Agenda item
Children's and Adults' Services Reorganisation (CAB 100/101)
Decision:
Resolved:
1. That the existing two Council directorates of Children, Schools and Families and Adults Health and Wellbeing be reorganised into one new unified directorate;
2. That it be agreed that the recruitment of an Executive Director, amalgamating the existing posts of Corporate Director Children, Schools and Families / Corporate Director Adults Health and Wellbeing proceed;
3. That the Chief Executive, after consultation with the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal Services) and the current Corporate Directors of Children Schools and Families and Adults Health and Wellbeing, be responsible for ensuring that the amalgamation of the two Corporate Director posts still ensures that the social care needs of children and schools services and adults’ health and wellbeing in the local community are given equal emphasis and are managed in a co-ordinated way; and
4. That a progress report on the implementation of the new arrangements be submitted for Cabinet consideration in January 2012.
Action by:
CHIEF EXECUTIVE (K. COLLINS)
ACTING CORPORATE DIRECTOR, CHILDREN SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES (I. CATTERMOLE)
ACTING CORPORATE DIRECTOR, ADULT HEALTH AND WELLBEING (H. TAYLOR)
Minutes:
Mr Collins Chief Executive, at the request of the Mayor, in introducing the report, summarised the key points contained therein, highlighting in particular that:
· The report had been brought forward following the request of the Mayor that he examine the potential for Children, Schools and Families and Adults, Health and Wellbeing to be reorganised into one unified directorate, to achieve further savings without affecting frontline services.
· There had been engagement with key stakeholders and partners, including the NHS and Schools, about the proposal and feedback had been generally positive. Risks and challenges had been highlighted but there was broad support for their management and the proposal moving forward.
· Section 11 of the report, where the risks of the proposal and measures to mitigate these were set out. Risk management would be key to successful implementation.
A brief discussion followed which focused on the following points:-
· A Labour Group councillor, speaking with the consent of the Mayor and Cabinet:
o Commented that the imperative of efficiency savings, given the severe financial constraints placed on Tower Hamlets by the Conservative/ Liberal Democrat was important, and the proposal to achieve this through amalgamation of the two directorates was congruent with the framework established over recent months for this.
o Commented that although he had understood the original rationale for separating Children’s and Adults’ social services, he had articulated concerns at the time about the creation of two directorates to achieve this.
o Expressed concern however in relation to the scale of the task ahead in 2012: to achieve the amalgamation of the two directorates, in addition to delivering the savings contained in the Authority’s recently agreed Budget, identifying further savings of £17 million and managing significant change programmes within current plans.
· Mr Collins Chief Executive, provided clarification/ assurance as follows:-
o The scale of the challenge ahead to achieve the amalgamation was acknowledged.
o However this proposal should be grasped as an opportunity to create more holistic and seamless service provision that could improve the quality of the lives of many of the boroughs residents. In particular he thought of the journey of children and adults cared for by the Council, noted for being an area of risk.
o He had the upmost confidence in the quality of staff employed by the Council and in particular the current corporate directors and indeed the service heads reporting to them who were some of the best in the country.
o He would maintain a clear focus on risk and risk management, as this would be key to success.
The Mayor Moved the recommendations as set out in the report; and it was:-
Resolved:
1. That the existing two Council directorates of Children, Schools and Families and Adults Health and Wellbeing be reorganised into one new unified directorate;
2. That it be agreed that the recruitment of an Executive Director, amalgamating the existing posts of Corporate Director Children, Schools and Families / Corporate Director Adults Health and Wellbeing proceed;
3. That the Chief Executive, after consultation with the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal Services) and the current Corporate Directors of Children Schools and Families and Adults Health and Wellbeing, be responsible for ensuring that the amalgamation of the two Corporate Director posts still ensures that the social care needs of children and schools services and adults’ health and wellbeing in the local community are given equal emphasis and are managed in a co-ordinated way; and
4. That a progress report on the implementation of the new arrangements be submitted for Cabinet consideration in January 2012.
Reasons for Decisions
These are detailed in paragraphs 3.1 to 3.9 of the report (CAB 100/101)
Alternative Options Considered
These are detailed in paragraphs 4.1 to 4.2 of the report (CAB 100/101)
Supporting documents: