Statement of Change

To: All staff within the scope of the change TU representatives

1. Corporate Background

1.1The Council faces a time of unprecedented change and a need to make significant budget reductions as a result of the Government’s austerity programme, which is designed to reduce spending and balance national debt.

1.2For the period 2011 to 2015, the Council has delivered savings totalling £113m. For the period 2015 to 2019, a further £120m of savings are required and although full Council has agreed savings totalling £65m of these, there is still a further gap of a minimum of £55m to address.

1.3The Council is challenging all areas of expenditure to address the budget gap, with a fundamental review of all services being undertaken so that we challenge both areas of non staffing spend and ways to reduce demand for Council services, cost of contracts and other efficiency opportunities that arise from process improvement or technology first, so to reduce the need for staffing reductions wherever possible.

1.4 It is however a reality that given the scale of the financial challenge, the Council has no choice but to deliver savings from staffing budgets and we have estimated that this will mean at least 1800 fewer people will be employed in the Council over the coming years. The Council is committed to achieve staff reductions by voluntary means wherever possible with a programme of support in place to assist our workforce through an extremely sensitive and challenging time.

1.5A programme of Service Reviews is underway across the Council with all directorates progressing in depth reviews of the services they deliver, the way they are delivered and the costs of doing so. In some cases the outcome of the review will be a reduction in costs to deliver the same or similar services; others will require a fundamental redesign.

1.6We will flatten structures and reduce the number of organisational layers to further reduce management costs and bring the front line closer to senior managers.

1.7Structural redesign is a factor and will be aligned to the Council’s agreed grading structure. 2. What is the Process?

Directorate: Environment & Community Services

Service Area:Commissioning, Procurement & Contract Management (CPCM), and Transport Services.

Date: 3rd November 2015

2.1 This Statement of Change sets out the impact of the Service Review on staff structures, roles and employees. It will be used to underpin engagement with staff on the proposals and is designed to ensure a framework that allows both a consistent approach yet allow an understanding that an element of flexibility may be required depending on issues arising from specific reviews.

2.2 The process will follow the Council’s Managing Structural or Organisational Change procedure and Reshaping Guidance. http://www.intouch.ccc/humanresources/policiesprocedures/managingchange.asp

3. Engagement

3.1 There will be a 4 week engagement period for all staff in scope of the review. (Within both the existing CPCM and Transport Services teams). An initial face to face briefing will begin the process, setting out the proposals and engagement process. There will be an opportunity to ask questions of senior managers and the briefing will be attended by a People Management advisor, with Trade Unions representatives also invited to support staff.

3.2 The Statement of Change will be made available to all staff and additional FAQs relating to the service proposals will be posted on the Employee Information Website. These will be regularly updated to reflect questions raised during the engagement process.

3.3 Engagement opportunities will be tailored to the specific needs of the services and employees in scope. They will consist of drop in sessions, one to one meetings and a further group meeting at the mid-point. A final group meeting will be held following the closure of the engagement period, once all feedback has been considered and final decisions have been made.

4. Trade Unions

4.1 The Council is committed to work closely with Trade Union colleagues through this period of significant and sensitive change.

4.2 Trade Union representatives will be briefed informally ahead of the initial meeting with affected employees and the Statement of Change document will be shared with them at that meeting. Union representatives will also be invited to all attend engagement meetings and an opportunity will be made available at the end of the initial staff meeting to allow an initial discussion with their members.

5. Review, Decision and Outcome

5.1 We will aim to notify all in scope employees of the outcome within 2 weeks of the engagement process ending. This will be accompanied by an outline timetable for the assimilation and Vacancy Preference Process.

5.2 Should there be a need to extend the 2 week decision period as a result of significant issues raised, then all staff will be notified as early as possible, with an explanation for why an extension is required.

6. Assimilation Processes

6.1 The full details of the assimilation process are contained in the Reshaping Guidance document.

6.2 Where an employee’s previous role is deemed to be a 75% match for the new role they will be directly assimilated to that role unless there are fewer roles than employees who meet the criteria. In the latter case, appointments will be made following interview to identify the best candidate(s).

6.3 Employees not directly assimilated to a role, or where there are more suitable employees than roles, will be offered the opportunity to express a preference for consideration for up to 3 roles through the Vacancy Preference Process (VPP). Interviews will then be conducted to consider suitability for each role.

7. At Risk

7.1 Where it is not possible to directly assimilate an employee to a post within the structure they will be placed “at risk” because there is no suitable alternative employment within the proposed structure. “At Risk” is a formal term relating to redundancy.

7.2 Where employees have not been appointed to posts following VPP they will be eligible for Alternative Employment Support. All avenues will be explored to avoid the need for redundancy; however once there are no other options available then redundancy notices will be issued.

8. Voluntary Redundancy (VR)

8.1 A VR window will be opened at the start of the consultation process.

8.2 A VR payment self-estimate tool is accessible by copying and pasting the link below into your browser (please note this link does not work if accessing direct from this document). http://www.intranet.ccc/eLibrary/view.asp?ID=54167 there is also a pension self-estimate website available Pension Self Estimate Tool.

8.3 Following assessment of these figures, it is possible to apply for VR by copy and pasting this link below into your browser (please note that the link may not work if accessing direct from this document):

https://servicecentre.cumbria.gov.uk/helpdesk/WebObjects/Helpdesk.woa/wa/TicketActions/new?rt=124&subject=VR Application

8.4 Full details of the VR Process are contained within the VR guidance document. Applications can be withdrawn at any point in the process, up until a formal acceptance of the offer is submitted.

9. What Do We need to Achieve through this Review and Restructure?

The key aims from the CPCM restructure/re-design are to deliver substantial revenue savings, as required by the Council, following corporate discussions regarding staffing reductions. Specifically, the review of the CPCM element is expected to deliver £585,000 per annum, beginning 2016/17. Separately, Transport Services is also expected to produce a new robust residual structure and identify revenue savings, wherever appropriate.

10.Scope

10.1 The posts that are in scope of the proposed restructure are:

Post Title Number of PostsExisting CPCM team:Senior Manager for CPCM 1Research & Development Manager 1Research & Development Officer 3.62Senior Procurement & Contracts Manager 2Procurement & Contracts Manager 2.898Procurement & Contracts Officer 19.4 (incl 6.94 vacancies)

Commissioning Manager 4 (incl 2 vacancies)

Commissioning Officer 8 (incl 2.77 vacancies)Business Support Officers & Technical Supervisor

7.31

Snr. Commissioning Manager* 1

(3 posts recently removed following VRs)sub total:

50.22 fte posts(incl 11.71 vacancies)

ExistingTransport ServicesCommunity Transport Officer 1Rural Wheels Assistant 1

Rural Wheels Officer 1Care Transport Officer 1 vacancyCare Transport Assistants 2Route Assessor 1Transport Compliance Manager 1Integrated Transport Safety Officer 1Monitoring Officer* 0.70Accreditation Officer (plus 0.5 vacancy) 0.5 + 0.5 vacancyTransport Steward 1School/College Transport Services Officer* 0.5School Transport Policy & Appeals Officer 3

Local Transport Community Engagement Officer 1

Locality Transport Officer 1

Integrated Transport Promotions Officer 1

Transport Technical Manager 1

Passenger Transport Team Leader 1

Locality Transport Team Leader 1

Bus Infrastructure Officer 0.5 vacancy

Travel Improvement Administrator 1 vacancysub total:

22.7 fte posts in scopeincl 3 vacancies

Grand Total:72.92 fte posts in scope

incl 14.71 vacancies

10.2 *Of the above table, the Monitoring Officer, School/College Transport Officer and Senior Commissioning Manager posts are subject to removal from the establishment at the current post holder’s future voluntary redundancy leaving dates.

10.3 The Fleet Maintenence Team is out of scope of this review, plus a number of other posts where there will be no changes to the roles and duties performed. These posts are all shown as unshaded on the Current Transport Services Structure (Appendix 2).

11.Future Structure and Staffing Proposals

11.1. The current structures can be found in Appendix 1 (CPCM) and 2 (Transport Services) and the new proposed structures in Appendix 3 (CPCM) and 4 (Transport Services).

11.2. The proposed CPCM structure would see a net reduction of 27.5 fte posts. This leaves a final total of 38 fte.

11.3. We are seeking to remove vacancies in order to minimise the impact on filled posts. There are currently 14.71 vacant posts (3 in Transport Services and 11.71 in CPCM).

11.4. The following new roles have been created:

Procurement & Contracts Manager –TransportProcurement & Contracts AssistantCommissioning AssistantPassenger Transport ManagerPassenger Transport Officer

11.5 The CPCM Business Support team will be subject to a x1 FTE reduction and will subsequently then transfer (including the Technical Supervisor role), to operate within the Service Centre team as part of the Purchase to Pay (P2P) process.

12. Approach for the establishment of the proposed structure

12.1 The proposed timeline for the review is set out in the attached Appendix 5.

13. How to engage with the reshaping proposals

13.1. A range of engagement channels will be used to engage staff with the reshaping proposals as set out above. In addition to the general engagement, individual employees will be offered one-to-one meetings, which will allow for discussion on the potential impact of the proposals on individual employees.

13.2. Members of the recognised Trade Unions may wish to channel their feedback through their Trade Union representative.

13.3. To ask questions, provide comments or submit feedback, a link has been set up (accessible internally and externally): http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/employeeinformation/Service_Review_Information.asp.This will ensure questions are promptly directed to the most appropriate person to answer and responses will be included in the service related FAQs unless they relate only to the individual employee.

13.4. Staff are encouraged to read the FAQs already on the website as a response may already have been provided.

13.5. The Employee Information Website (http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/employeeinformation/default.asp) has been updated to contain a range of information to support employees through the change process. You are encouraged to view this website on a regular basis during the reshaping process.

13.6. This document has been issued to each employee electronically, with a copy, proposed structure charts and role profiles also added to the Employee Information Website.

14. Timescales

14.1 The proposed timeline for the review is set out in the attached Appendix 5.

I hope that I have covered as much as I can as part of this document, however if there are any queries please speak to your line manager.

Alan RatcliffeAssistant Director Business Services

Appendices: Appendix 1: Current CPCM structure Appendix 2: Current Transport Services structure

Appendix 3: Proposed new CPCM structureAppendix 4: Proposed new Transport Services structureAppendix 5: Proposed Timetable

Appendix 1: Current CPCM Structure

Appendix 2: Current Transport Services Structure

Appendix 3: Proposed CPCM structure:

Commissioning Officers3 x OS9

Commissioning Officers2 x OS9

Procurement & Contract Assistant

2 x OS7

Commissioning Manager – People

3 x OS15

Commissioning Manager – Transport

1 x OS15

Procurement & Contract Manager –

Transport1 x OS15

Procurement & Contract Manager – Capital/Infrastructure

1 x OS17

Procurement & Contract Officers

5 x OS9

Procurement & Contract Officers

5 x OS9

Commissioning Assistants4 x OS7

Procurement & Contract Assistants

6 x OS7

Procurement & Contract Manager –

People1 x OS17

Procurement & Contract Officers

3 x OS9

Senior Manager: CP&CMOS19

Appendix 4: Proposed Transport Services Structure

*

*Post to be removed at VR leaving date of post holder, March ‘16.

Appendix 5: Timetable

DATE/S ACTIVITY

Phase 1 - Information exchange/discussion/consultation

27/09/15

29/10/15

DMT Meeting

Trade Unions briefing

04/11/15

9.30-11am, New Waterton Hall

Start of consultation reshaping meeting

VR window opens All staff in scope and trade unions invited Individual meetings available upon request

24/11/15

12.30-2pm, venue TBC

Mid-Point meeting

Staff group session (trade unions invited) Discuss feedback and processes

22/11/15 VR window closes

29/11/15 Phase 1 closes

Phase 2 - Decision

29/11/15 – 6/12/15

- Collation and review of feedback from staff and Trades Unions and reflection of structure proposal.

- VRs confirmed

Phase 3 - Implementation

07/12/15

2.30-4pm, New Waterton Hall

- Staff and TU communication- Final structure released

From 07/12/15 Implementation Commences

- Issue of notice to accepted VRs- Notification of any individuals “at risk” of redundancy and AEP process- Assimilation / Vacancy Preference Process- Interviews for vacant posts

From February 2016

Transition into new structure