Agenda item

Report of the Interim Assistant Director Human Resources – To receive a further update on the position as regards Consultants or Interims contracted across the Council,  and details of the  introduction of the process for all new contracts effective from 1^st January 2015.    

The Chair asked for a brief introduction of the report.

The Human Resources Adviser – Ms Engwell advised the Committee that at the beginning of December 2014 Assistant Directors were asked to submit a business case by 23 December for each Consultant or Interim working in their business area.  The information provided was used to update the central register and a copy of the final information relating to Quarter 3 was attached at Appendix 2.  

Ms Engwell advised that the new process was introduced on 1 January 2015 and required a business case to be completed by the hiring manager, authorised by their Assistant Director and finally signed off by both the Assistant Director HR and the Chief Operating Officer.  The new process was more robust and ensured that value for money was evidenced both at the initial engagement stage and when an extension to the contract was requested.  Ms Engwell advised that a comparison of the data for Q2 and Q3 was attached at Appendix 1 of the report and overall, there had been seven fewer Consultants/Interims engaged at the end of December 2014 compared to the end of September 2014 with each category showing a slight reduction in contractors.  The Christmas period was seen as a natural end point for contracts and the majority of those leaving left in December.   As a result, the overall estimated annual cost also reduced by £530,880. 

Ms Engwell also advised that the estimated off contract spend also reduced considerably due to the reduction in contracts but more significantly, due to work that had been done  with business unit managers to move contractors to one of the Council’s framework agencies.  At the end of the quarter only eight contactors would be engaged through an agency not on the framework and work would continue during the next quarter to further reduce the number. Ms Engwell advised that there would from now on be a quarterly report to the Staffing & Remuneration Committee detailing and updating on the position.

The Committee then briefly discussed the details of the appendices circulated and officers responded in relation to the status of a number of consultants and interims. In particular members clarified the differing levels of rates paid to consultants and seeming variations, together with the length of time a number had been in post. 

In response Ms Evans advised that the differing levels in pay was attributed to different sensitivities in certain posts, and that this was then reflected in the rate of fee.  Ms Evans advised that employing service heads or Assistant Directors were now required to give a clear business case in terms of value for money, and were now challenged in terms of covering established posts, and that outcomes needed to be defined, and likely achievement.

The Interim Director of Children Services – Mr Abbey advised the Committee that in relation to Children’s Services and the number of positions being filled either by interims or consultants, it was a fact that the position was a reflection of the acute situation facing the service and that this was highlighting a 29%  vacancy rate within Children’s services, and that across London there was a  40% vacancy rate in this service as a whole. Mr Abbey advised that he was striving to manage the level of consultants and interims but there was also need to ensure that services were maintained and set  targets and improving services were met, and also that the delivery and outcomes highlighted by OFSTED were a priority and the Council was being held to account in terms of meeting these.  The aim was to ensure that the current structure in terms of interims and consultants was permanently recruited particularly at  senior management level. Mr Abbey advised that there were currently 53 vacant posts across the service area and there had been 36 voluntary resignations. 

There being no further points of clarification the Chair then summarised and it was:

RESOLVED

i.              That the report be noted; and

ii.             That a further report be brought to the next meeting of the Staffing and Remuneration Committee on 30 March 2015 on the latest position on interims and consultants.