Agenda and minutes

 Apologies for absence were received from Roger Melling, Keith Brown,  Michael Jones , and Cllr Khan.  Cllr Egan substituted for Cllr Khan and provided prior notification in accordance with Committee Standing order 52 and 53.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late report in relation to the item shown on the agenda. Please note that under the Council’s Constitution – Part 4 Section B paragraph 17 – this being a special meeting of the Corporate Committee no other business shall be considered.

 There were no items of urgent business  for consideration.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

 There were no declarations of interest put forward.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, Paragraph 29  of the Council’s Constitution.

The Committee received deputations from Chris Taylor (Employee side representative) on: Agenda item 5) Staffing changes  - Community Housing Services Base Budget reductions 2012/13 Agenda Item 8) Staff Changes Associated with the Cabinet decision to close In – House Home Care and establish a New Reablement Service

Details of their comments and representations are recorded under the relevant minute below.

 The report proposes changes to Community Housing Services‘ (CHS) staffing structure in order to achieve the base budget savings target for 2012/13 and seeks the authority to implement a  revised staffing  structure.

The Committee were asked to agree a new staffing structure for Community  Housing services. This decision came within the remit of Corporate Committee terms of reference, taking decisions relating to changes to the establishment which were not covered by the Officer Scheme of Delegation.  The Committee were advised by the Legal representative that they were able to comment on the detail of the changes to the structure and propose amendments.

The Committee noted that  there had been two previous restructures of this service, the first in 2010/11 necessitated by the  reductions in the number of households in temporary accommodation and high level of homelessness preventions being achieved. The second  restructure occurred in May 2011 in response to the  Council’s voluntary redundancy programme. This  third restructure, considered by the Committee,  was initiated  in response to a reduction in base budgets for 2012/13. The Committee were asked to note that during these 3 restructures there had been a significant number of  management posts  deleted.

 The detail of the changes to the staffing structure  and how the  impact  of deleted posts would be managed was set out in appendix A.

 Members raised the following issues:

• Spans of control and whether the ratio of managers to staff fitted the Rethinking Haringey policy of  1 manager to 8 staff.  Members  pointed to the lower number of staff allocated to  Head of Commissioned services in comparison to the number of staff assigned to the Head of Housing Needs and requested information be provided on the ratio of managers per staff  member. Taking on board the explanation about  the specialist and strategic  nature of some teams, Members wanted to understand  further the balance between  management and operational roles  in Community Housing service and requested that   this be made clear  in the information to be provided  on spans of control.

• The need for statistical information to provide an understanding of whether the workloads in the new structure  were  realistic and  workable  for agreement .The Committee were informed   that  in the coming 5 months the service would be  looking at streamlining work processes,   identifying and abolishing duplication,  and considering   better use of IT  systems to reduce unnecessary tasks and ensure workloads were feasible. An example of the current workload of an income recovery officer was also provided as a guide  with an estimation of  what the increase would be after the restructure.  Members wanted further evidence about how workloads  had  been assessed and roles compiled for the new structure.  Information should be provided on : increase in volume  of the  current duties  of each job role after the restructure , their  current   volume,  and  how  the  future impact of local and national policy changes were being prepared for and  accounted  for in workloads going forward under the proposed restructure.

• The Committee  referred to  Unison comments on the tabled paper regarding the  reduction in admin staff from 13 to 10 and their concerns about the   selection method  planned  to recruit to the remaining 10 posts.    Since the publication of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

The report will provide background context and an overview of the consultation and restructuring process associated with the Cabinet’s decision to close Woodside Day Centre and the 684 Centre and seek agreement to the deletion of the posts associated with this decision.

Following the Cabinet decision in October to close two day care centres , Woodside  and the 684 Centre, the Corporate Committee were asked to consider the staffing  changes arising from this decision. There were a total of 17 posts  at the centres and as 3 were vacant  it would mean that 14 members of staff would enter the redeployment pool.  Following an analysis of potential employment opportunities at other Day Care centres, it was  envisaged that 10 staff could be redeployed , leaving 4 staff at the  risk of compulsory redundancy. The Committee were informed that Adult services were committed to seeking employment  positions for these staff.  Their  skills were  highly marketable,   both in the Council and in the independent sector . 

The Committee were assured that the required Council procedures to safeguard staff and users  in a transition period, following the closure of the Day Care centres, had been followed  in full.

RESOLVED

1. That the deletion of all the posts based at the two Day Centres as set out  in section 5.4 of this report be approved.

2. That the Committee receive a future update on the  results of the redeployment process concerning the 4 members of staff without an immediate redeployment opportunity.

The report will provide background context and an overview of the consultation and restructuring process connected with the Cabinet decision to close four residential care homes and seek agreement to the deletion of the posts associated with this decision.

The Committee were asked to agree the  Staffing changes  connected to the Cabinet decision to close  four Residential  Care Homes in the Borough. These were Whitehall Street, The  Red House, Cranwood,  and Broadwater Lodge.  The Committee acknowledged that the transition process would be more complex as it involved the movement of 80 residents .  In readiness for this the Adult service were working on a financial model  to twin track the reduction of residents with the reduction of staff. There had been full consultation with staff and  unions to  agree the process going forward.  The staff were aware that  there would be daily decisions made on  staffing hours and numbers as residents were moved and  beds also used by hospitals for delayed discharges discontinued.

The Committee noted the service’s dedication to the welfare and needs of  residents in the care homes.  Staff had signalled in meetings  their priority to the residents above their own individual employment prospects.  An operational implementation plan had been drawn up with the guidance of staff and family members of residents .This plan  was designed to ensure that the same level of care  was  continued before and  after   residents left the residential care  homes. Adult services reiterated their loyalty to potential  displaced staff and would seek redeployment opportunities for them in Day Care services or  new Reablement service. If  they were unable to  positions in the council run services then the service would support keeping them in local services run by the independent sector.

 RESOLVED

That the deletion of all posts based in the following four residential care homes: Whitehall Street, The Red House, Cranwood, and Broadwater Lodge, as  detailed in section 5.4 of the report be approved.

To consider a summary, background context and an overview of the consultation and restructuring process associated with the changes approved by the Cabinet Member Signing to close the internal home care service and establish a new reablement service. Corporate Committee will consider the  deletion of all posts based in the Home Care service.

The Cabinet had previously agreed to close the Home Care service and establish a new Reablement service.  The Corporate Committee were asked to consider the associated staff changes with this decision and agree the proposed staffing structure. A total of 65 posts would be deleted from the discontinuation of the Home Care service and  these staff were ring fenced for 35 posts in the new Reablement service.

The differences between the Home Care service and the new Reablement services were explained to the Committee. In the new Reablement service, clients would have a care plan driven by occupational therapy including  intensive high level care over a set 6 week period aimed at aiding their independence. The Home Care Service provided  support to clients on their daily care over a long period .  In response to this change  in care and reduction in staff , the Committee sought an understanding of the number of clients that the service would be supporting.  It was estimated that there would be 18 staff on duty over a day supporting 50 clients.  Research indicated that with effective reablement support , around 40-60% of clients would no longer require a service at the end of  a six week period .  Clients needing longer term care would be transferred to the independent sector. In terms of preparation for the new Reablement service, there was already a team taking on reablement duties and there were plans being developed for a 5-10 day training programme for staff in January to prepare for the start of the new service on 05 March 2011.

In response to a question about why the service had not been developed sooner. It was explained that there was a joint occupational therapy and social work reablement team and telecare and telehealth in place, and it was envisaged that this new development would add a further component and essential element to the joint reablement service.

Unison provided an updated response to the closure of the Homecare service and establishment of the new Reablement service. They felt that the consultation with staff had been good process. They raised their objections to the written tests planned as part of the selection process of Home Care staff transferring to the Reablement service.  They felt that the existing role of the Home Care worker already required them to able to read care plans and interpret the care that should be provided. Also as most of Home Care workers were qualified at NVQ level 2 , the matter of  understanding a care plan was contested as an issue. There were further concerns raised by Unison on the category of ring fence applied to  the team leader and team manager roles.

In response to the above concerns , Adult services anticipated  that a written test would not be needed if the applications put forward for Reablement workers  did not exceed the number of posts available.  In the event that a written test was called upon in the selection process, it would involve  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.