Issue - meetings

Matter for Decision

The report analysed the underlying trends behind staff vacancies and expenditure for 2014/15. 

Decisions of Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources to note:

     i.        The Council’s staffing underspend information and trend analysis.

    ii.        That the Senior Leadership Team will review the current list of temporary workers and vacancy list to determine whether to permanently recruit to these posts or to offer savings in time for the 2016/17 budget process.

   iii.        That services are asked to review their agency worker budget for 2016/17.

  iv.        That the Finance Department will review the wording used in Strategy & Resources Scrutiny Committee reports when referring to staffing underspends.

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Head of Human Resources.

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

i.             Thanked the Head of Human Resources for the report.

ii.            It could be thought by members that there was a £2million underspend however when this information was looked at in conjunction with agency workers spend it could be seen that there was a £1million underspend.

iii.           Questioned whether reasons could be given with the S&R report outturn information, so that the information could be put into perspective, otherwise the only information that members had was the information in the tables.  It was acknowledged that assistance would be required from services to provide this information.

In response to Members’ questions the Head of Human Resources said the following:

     i.        Confirmed that the Head of Finance was on board with the recommendations, that there was nothing absent from previous reports but it was acknowledged that better explanations could be provided. 

    ii.        Some roles were more difficult to recruit into than others.  There was some flexibility where posts were appointed on pay bands at recruitment and also market supplements that could be offered. 

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendation.

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted):

Not applicable.