Agenda item

Members considered the report in respect of the proposed service restructure for Leisure and Cultural Services.  The Head of Leisure and Cultural Services provided an overview of the proposed changes in relation to the revised management structure for the delivery of Leisure and Cultural Service for both Redditch Borough Council and Bromsgrove District Council.

It was noted that this report should be read in conjunction with the LATC report and would only require a decision on future structures should Members be minded to approve the LATC project.

It was reported that as part of the shared services arrangements between Redditch Borough Council and Bromsgrove District Council a shared Leisure and Cultural Services department was created in August, 2011 with Redditch acting as host authority.   As part of the establishment of the costs for the shared service, staff time was allocated to each authority based upon the amount of work each employee was expected to undertake for that authority.  Operational budgets used to deliver the services were not considered as these were treated as being a matter for each authority and were to be used by officers to deliver the services required by Members.   

It was recommended that the Executive Committee should consider the detailed V4 report and all other information provided and the proposed recommendations to Council were outlined in the report.

The review would be undertaken across all Leisure and Cultural Services to reflect the need to move from a delivery based model to a contract management position.  Relevant staff would be TUPE transferred into the new company.

There were key assumptions that had been used to formulate the response to the change of service model and the proposed shared services structure that was to be implemented for Leisure and Cultural Services.

In order to ensure that the service continued to deliver high quality services that met the expectations of Members and residents, that were sustainable and capable of responding to service need proactively, it was agreed that the Council needed to respond to this change of delivery model constructively and undertake a full service review to bring forward a proposed revised service structure to be implemented as part of the wider project.

A ten week gap was required after the Council took a decision in respect of the company; starting with effect from 17^th September should Council approve the proposals.  However, staff engagement would be undertaken at an earlier stage, which was anticipated to commence on 20^th September, 2018, to ensure that staff were aware of the proposals before the start of formal consultation on 5^th December 2018.  An interim management structure would be put in place to reflect changes within the service from the 1^st October, 2018. 

The Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Tourism, Councillor Michael Rouse, thanked Councillor Pat Witherspoon for her work and contribution in relation to the restructure.

The Head of Leisure and Cultural Services explained that the revised model would potentially bring both Redditch Borough and Bromsgrove District Councils’ Leisure and Cultural Services closer together in terms of the model in place in the two authorities.

RECOMMENDED that

the proposed management structure, timeline and associated costs contained within this report are approved.

[During consideration of this item Members discussed matters that necessitated the disclosure of exempt information. It was therefore agreed to exclude the press and public during the course of the debate on the grounds that information would be revealed which is likely to identify an individual and which relates to consultations and negotiations, including contemplated consultations and negotiations in connection with any labour relations matters.  However, there is nothing in this minute which is exempt].