Issue - meetings

Members to consider proposals for the restructure of the IT service .

Members considered the proposals for the second stage of the IT Value for Money review, which encompassed a proposed restructure of the teams beneath the new senior management structure in IT (implemented in April 2010). The proposed restructure would result in a net reduction of 19 posts in the service and realise savings of £880K.

The main elements of change to the service were set out in Appendix 3 of the report which the committee considered. Statutory staff consultation period had been extended from four to six weeks to allow staff, that had been on leave during the recent Christmas break, the opportunity to respond, although no comments had been received since the end of December.

The committee considered the written representation of the Employee Side which recommended that the final sign off of the restructure return for decision to the committee instead of being delegated to the Director of Corporate Resources to agree with the Chair of the committee. The Employee Side also requested a longer consultation period due to the number of staff affected by the changes in the service.   In response to these concerns, it was noted that the consultation period had already been extended by a two week period and there had not been significant feedback from affected staff since the end of December.  The chair advised that there would be  further special meetings of the committee scheduled in February and March to consider forthcoming service function reviews  and therefore  any key issues arising from the restructure  could be reported  to report these back to the committee if necessary.

 The committee discussed the recent report on IT cost considered at the Homes for Haringey Board meeting and recommended that the Head of IT discuss the benchmarking results, informing the value for money review, with this organisation. The committee  were assured  that the selection of posts for deletion were not in areas  of contractual expertise as this  knowledge was likely to be called upon in future.  The committee were further informed  that there would be a phased renewal of the IT structure which was already underway  and the main project work  of the IT service  would be supporting the efficiency agenda and delivery of the savings programme of the Council.

RESOLVED

1. That the proposed restructure of IT Services  and the associated efficiencies be agreed.

2. That  the  Director of Corporate Resources and the Chair of General Purposes Committee  be delegated authority to sign off amendments to the restructure  following formal consultation  up to a limit of 19 posts, the  net reduction in the IT services establishment.

3. That the timetable for delivery be noted.