Appendix V
Report to: Executive Member for Children’s Services Executive Member for HR, OD & Diversity
Date: 22nd November 2010 24th November 2010
Report of: Director of Children’s Services Report No:
Contact Officer: Julie Thompson, Assistant Director Tel No: 4175
Report Title: Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service
Non Confidential: (Confidential Not for Publication)
This report is exempt from publication by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972
Purpose: To set out the results of consultation on proposals to restructure the Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth to take into account a reduction in funding from 2011/12 onwards, and to seek approval from the Executive Member to implement the final proposals.
Recommendations: The Executive Member is recommended to:
(i) Approve the final proposals set out in Appendix 7 and;
(ii) Delegate implementation of the new structure, including details of voluntary redundancy arrangements and consequential recruitment and selection, to the Chief Executive and the Director of Children‟s Services.
Decision:
Background Doc(s): Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service presented to the Executive Member for Children‟s Services on 31st August 2010.
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service presented to the Executive Member for HR, OD and Diversity on 1st September 2010.
(for use on Exec Rep)
1
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
Signed: Leader / Executive Member Monitoring Officer
Date:
Summary: Executive Report (on its own page with Appendix 1 - List of People and Organisations Consulted. background docs) Appendix 2 - Summary of Consultation Activity Appendix 3 - Summary of Responses to Consultation Activity Appendix 4 - Union Response to Consultation Appendix 5 - Equality Impact Assessment Appendix 6 - Health Impact Assessment Appendix 7 - Final Proposals Report
2
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Following the budget resolution of the Executive on the 28th June 2010, the Executive Member approval proposals for a restructure of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Services.
1.2 This report sets out the results of the formal consultation process and the Department's final proposals in response.
2.0 Background to the review
2.1 On 31st August 2010 the Executive Member for Children‟s Services and the Executive Member for Human Resources, Organisational Development and Diversity (on the 1st September) approved a report setting out the need for a review of the Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service and draft proposals for consultation with staff, trade unions and other stakeholders.
2.2 The underlying rationale for the review is the need to generate financial savings to meet corporate budgetary targets. Because of the nature of the services involved, it will be necessary to reduce the cost of the staffing establishment in order to achieve these efficiencies.
2.3 This report now addresses the key issues arising from the consultation, which ended on 20th October 2010, and where relevant presents revised proposals for final approval by the Executive Member for Children‟s Services and the Executive Member for Human Resources, Organisational Development and Diversity.
3.0 Consultation process
To coincide with the publication of the consultation proposals „at risk‟ letters were issued to affected staff on 2nd September 2010. Following informal briefings to staff and to the trades unions, formal consultation on the detail of the proposals which commenced on the 1st July proposals ended on 20th October 2010
3.1 Appendix 1 provides a full list of those invited to take part in the consultation.
3.2 Appendix 2 provides a full list of the key elements of the formal consultation. These have included:
A formal briefing session and presentation for all staff on 2nd September 2010. A staff consultation pack containing in addition to some of the things listed below, the original report to Executive Member; a draft consultation and proposed implementation timetable; details of support for staff and a consultation response form. Access to all job descriptions and person specifications existing and proposed;
3
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
Weekly update of the Vacancy Bank register emailed to all staff at risk, with support for staff who have taken up opportunities to apply for jobs as a result; Holding personal meetings with all members of staff attended by HR and/or trades unions representatives where required; Following up meetings with more specific support (for example around interview technique, or enrolment onto OD provided sessions); Requesting expressions of interest (without prejudice at this stage) from staff for voluntary redundancy and for other forms of flexible working including reductions in hours; Full staff briefings Briefings meetings to update those staff that are at risk. Regular Departmental Joint Consultative Committee (DJCC) meetings with recognised trades unions. Regular Joint Operations Meetings (JOG) between Assistant Directors and Service Managers and trades unions. Responding to specific requests for information from the trades unions; Receipt of a formal written response from trades unions – Appendix 4. Consultation with all Children‟s Services Department Senior Managers via monthly Senior Managers Meetings. Consultation with Children‟s Services Department staff through open staff briefings and via ECM newsletter. Direct consultation with headteachers through Primary and Secondary Headteacher Executives, Headteacher consultation groups and savings and efficiency breakfast briefings. Direct consultation with Young People's Forums. A letter to all headteachers and Chairs of governing bodies of Bolton schools summarising the proposal included as part of the Departments savings and efficiencies programme, providing details of where the full details of consultation proposals are available from and inviting response. Individuals meetings with partners as requested Online survey to key stakeholders.
4.0 Key issues raised through formal consultation
4.1 Appendix 3 provides a detailed list of all issues raised during the consultation period, including matters raised at the DJCC or JOG meetings. This appendix also incorporates, for the sake of setting out a comprehensive response to the consultation, the proposed response to what was said by individuals and teams during personal meetings, staff briefing sessions and on the consultation response form issued with the Staff Consultation Pack.
4.2 The formal trade union response to the proposals is also set out in full at Appendix 4.
4.3 In summary, the main issues raised during consultation were:
4
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
1. Development and Capacity Build Lead Post - concerns that the JD does not reflect the Service Improvement Action Plan and does not reflect the integrated work of the service over the last 18 months. It was further suggested that Management re- assess the Capacity Building post to look to realign in light of work that has been developed over the last 18 months in conjunction with the SIAP and integrated work of the 5-19 service and Sport, Health and Inclusion Service.
2. Comprehensive Spending Review Consultation - Unison request management undertake a meaningful consultation with Partners once the results of the Comprehensive Spending Review are available to present partners with the accurate picture on what the service will be delivering, what will be stopping and what will be reduced.
3. Counselling Service - that the proposal will effectively end the in-house delivered counselling service delivered to some of the most vulnerable in our community, with a negative detrimental impact on what they will be able to access in the future.
4. Youth Initiatives Service and Post – Unison suggest that management consider how this post or a new post can be sustained by the use of the funds from a vacancy within the Early Intervention Service and other funds assigned to the delivery aspects of the enterprise scheme which do not appear to have been picked up in the review.
5. Principal Sport Development Offices - Unison requests consideration is given to the Sport Health & Inclusion recommendations of a reduction of 1 PSDO leaving 3 in the service. This will allow time for the Bolton Community Leisure Trust (BCLT) option to be explored and a balanced view being taken on what the Comprehensive Spending Review will provide for.
6. Bolton Community Leisure Trust Development - Unison request consideration is given the development of the further partnership between the Council and the Trust.
7. Individual HR Issues – These have been addressed through the Management response.
4.4 Stakeholder Online Consultation - Questionnaire - A total of 24 completed stakeholder online questionnaires were received, although respondents may have raised more than one issue. The respondents were as follows:
Respondent Number Member of the public* 5 Council member's of staff 8 Partner, organisation representative, voluntary or community group 11 Total 24 *having read the comments it is clear that these respondents are children / young people who currently use the service
5
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
4.5 The following questions were asked:
How will the proposals outlined affect you or the organisation you are representing? Can you think of any other solutions to address the issues we are facing? Do you have any other comments or questions?
4.6 The main themes from the responses are summarised in the table below. Summary of Themes No of comments Limit/unable to deliver e.g. government's agenda, partnership working, organisations objectives 8 No suggestions for alternative solutions 7 Integrate staff (functions) with other organisations e.g. sports college, Leisure Trust 6 Impact on 5 hour offer or availability of a sports programme 5 Enterprise - customer won't get qualification/have anywhere to go 5 Opportunity for more integration 4 Make savings (not staff) first 3 (Front line) activities stopping 2 Should have a strong commercial focus in future 2 Recruit/train volunteers to deliver parts of the service/have less centres run by council 2 Do a skills audit of local centres to assess need 2 Currently provide an excellent service 2 Possible redundancy 1 Staff upheaval 1 Negative impact 1 Not in a position to say 1 Reduce staff 1 Generate income through sponsorship 1 Council should consider strategic delivery only 1 Large team, needs strong management 1 Should be sport focussed to maximise engagement and participation 1 Services provide health benefits and this is 1 Impact on health of Bolton residents 1 No impact for (responding) organisation 1 Remove duplication of services e.g. volunteer programmes or Lads and Girls Club, Bolton Arena 1 Promote services to make them more cost effective 1 Don't make so many cuts to people with disabilities 1 Consultation process not thorough 1 Services should be available to all - not just disadvantaged 1 One direct question was raised under any other comments – would there be an adult component to the service or would it be 5 – 19 only?
The children and young people directly asked where they would go if the Enterprise closed.
6
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
5.0 Proposed changes arising
5.1 Appendix 3 sets out the Departmental response to each of the issues raised during consultation. Where appropriate, the proposals have been amended to incorporate the outcomes of the consultation.
5.2 Appendix 7 presents a final report taking account of the consultation feedback and the proposed Departmental response.
5.3 The key changes incorporated into the final proposals include:
1. Bolton Community Leisure Trust (BCLT) Development - consideration is being given to the Bolton Community Leisure Trust (BCLT) option and the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review. Discussions are currently underway.
2. Capacity Building Post – Management have agreed that the line management and reporting responsibilities of the Capacity Building Posts moves from the Operations Manager (Positive Activities), to the Operations Manager (Active Living);
3. Capacity Building Post - Management has worked in consultation with staff to review the Capacity Building post inline with the recommendations outlined in the Union response. The Job Description and Person specification have been revised and approved.
4. Comprehensive Spending Review Consultation – Management will continue to undertake a meaningful discussion with partners in relation to the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
5. The Youth and Programme activity – The Management are considering how the function relating to LDD and wider transition are incorporated into the service and the concerns relating to the District Managers and Head of Service capacity.
6. Principal Sport Development Officers - Management and staff have revised and agreed a generic Job Description and Person Specification for the Principal Sports Development Officer to reflect the outcome of the consultation.
7. Principal Sports Development Officer (1 post) and the Youth Initiative Manager - At the request of the Union a review was undertaken of two specified posts resulting in one of the Principal Sports Development Officers and the Youth Initiative Manager both now being 'ring fenced' into the Capacity Build Lead vacant post.
8. Mobile Resources Lead and Driver Line Management- Management have agreed that the line management of these posts and activities remain with the Operations Manager - Positive Activities and are deleted from the Operations Manager – Sport and Active Living job description.
7
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
9. Mobile Resources Lead Vacancy – The Deputy Resource Centre Manager has been matched against the vacant post of mobile resource Lead.
10. Vacant Posts - Delete the 6 vacant posts from the establishment
11. Summer Programme – Reduce the costs of the summer activity programme by 50%.
5.4 Implications for the revised service/team structure
The main changes impact on HR related issues including; changes to job descriptions, line management and ring fencing arrangements as outlined above.
The following organisational structure now reflects these changes and the final proposed management structure:
Proposed Management Structure
Head of Integrated Positive Activities (Grade 13)
Sport & Active Living Positive Activities Operations Manager Operations Manager (Grade 10) (Grade 10)
Development & Capacity Principal Sports Mobile Resources Positive Activities Build Lead - Vacant Post Development Officers x 2 Lead Team Leader(s) (Grade 8) (Grade 8) (Grade 6) (Grade8)
Driver – Mobile Resources (Grade 3)
8
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
5.5 Potential matches and ring-fenced posts
All posts have been evaluated by the Pay and Grading team and the job description and person specifications are available on request.
The matching selection process will be undertaken using corporate selection criteria and assessment tools. This process will be compliant with equalities law and will be applied fairly.
All the new posts are full-time (37 hours).
The following table illustrates the proposed jobs and ring fenced arrangements:
Proposed Job Title Ringfence of Existing Job Title
Head of Play / Youth / Extended Services (5-19) Head of Integrated Positive Activities – new post Head of Sport, Health and Inclusion
Operations Manager – Sport & Active Living - Sport, Regeneration & Inclusion Manager new post
Principal Sports Development Officer - existing Principal Sports Development Officer x 4 posts x 2
Mobile Resources Lead – new post Deputy Play Resource Worker
Positive Activities Development & Capacity Build Principal Sports Development Officer x 1 Lead 5-19 – existing post – currently vacant Youth Initiatives and Programme Manager
The following posts are not comparable to any other within the proposed structure:
FTE Job Title
1 Youth Counsellor Co-ordinator
1 Resource Centre Manager
9
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
Within the proposed new structure there is one new post and anybody displaced through the process will have first priority to apply for these available posts as follows:
Available posts
Mobile Resources Driver – new post
5.6 Implications for projected savings
There are no revised financial implications of the revised service/team structure and the projected savings remain the same as the original proposals as follows:
Budget saving PROPOSALS £000
Delete vacant posts from establishment 105k
Delete Head of 5 to 19 Services and Head of Sport, Health and Inclusion 109k
Delete one senior management post in Sport, Health and Inclusion 48k
Reduce Two Principal Sports Development Officers Posts - Sport Health & 76k Inclusion
Delete post of Counsellor and Youth Initiatives & Programmes Manager 66k
Redesign Play Resource Centre – delete two posts 57k
Reduce the cost of the summer programme activities and operational budget 49.5k
Funding for new posts: (-155k) Create new Head of Integrated Positive Activities post Redesigned Operations Manager post Mobile Resource Lead Mobile Resource Driver
TOTAL SAVINGS AND EFFICIENCIES IDENTIFIED £355.5k
5.7 It should be noted that, during the consultation period no members of staff have been successful in finding new posts within the Council through the Vacancy Bank.
10
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
5.8 No individuals have been successful in securing alternative employment outside of Bolton Council.
5.9 Therefore there is no reduction in the final numbers likely to be redeployed and the number of staff ultimately displaced is 5 FTE.
6.0 Impact Assessment
6.1 An Equality Impact Assessment has been carried out on the proposals outlined in this report, and is attached at Appendix 5.
6.2 The Equality Impact Assessment looks at the anticipated impacts of the proposal on people from Bolton‟s diverse communities, and whether any group(s) is likely to be directly or indirectly differentially affected. This Equality Impact Assessment builds on the equality screening which was completed on the initial review options, and summarises the stakeholder consultation which has been completed as part of this review.
6.3 Due to the nature of the proposals, and the need to make significant savings, it is anticipated that there could be some adverse impact on some groups. While it is not expected that this will be differential, care has been taken to understand the issues arising, and to take action to minimise the possible impacts.
6.4 For example children and young people from communities with high levels of disadvantage and/or low income families may have more limited access to services.
We will seek to encourage these groups to continue to attend provision local to their communities. The new posts in the structure which seek to enhance the provision of mobile working will make it easier for services to be targeted at those communities with highest levels of disadvantage. In particular, the increased use of the mobile resource units will ensure that services can be more effectively delivered in local communities which face greatest disadvantage.
6.5 The equality considerations are set out in more detail in the Equality Impact Assessment. Should the proposals be approved by the Executive Member, they will be reviewed following implementation to check whether any unanticipated differential impact has arisen, and to respond accordingly.
7.0 Health Impact Assessment
7.1 A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Appendix 6, has been conducted for the review in line with best practice developed by the Primary Care Trust as the service relates to the current and future health and wellbeing of Bolton Citizen‟s The Health impact assessment analyses the extent of the impact on service users and partners and explains how the Council in partnership with its stakeholders can mitigate it through the review of partnership working and commissioned services-
11
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
8.0 Post Consultation Timeline
EVENT DATE
Stakeholder consultation From 6th September 2010 Wednesday 20th October 2010 End of 30 day formal consultation period. Wednesday 20th October 2010
Meeting with unions to discuss outcomes of Tuesday 26th October 2010 consultation. Draft proposals papers to Children‟s Service DMT. Wednesday 20th October 2010
Finalised proposals papers to Children‟s Services Wednesday 27th October 2010 DMT. Formal Approval of finalised proposals by Children‟s Wednesday 3rd November 2010 (am) Services DMT and EIA. Submit final approved report to Corporate PMO.. Wednesday 3rd November 2010 (pm)
Informal Union DJCC. Tuesday 9th November 2010
Meeting with the „at risk‟ staff to share the outcomes Wednesday 10th November 2010 of the consultation. Reports and all papers to Democratic Service for Thursday 11th November 2010 Corporate signoff. Formal Union DJCC. Tuesday 16th November 2010
Approval of finalised proposals by Executive Member Monday 22nd November 2010 – 5pm for Children's Services. Approval of finalised proposals by Executive Member Wednesday 24th November 2010 for HR. Staff Briefing for 'At risk' Staff. Wednesday 24th November 2010
All Staff briefing regarding finalised proposals. Thursday 25th November 2010
Staff 1:1 meetings commence. Monday 29th November 2010
Stakeholder briefings. From Monday 29th November 2010
Selection Interviews for new structure. From Monday 6th December 2010
Redundancy letters/notices issued and the right to w/c 13th December 2010 with effect from 31st appeal served. December 2010
Start of 90 day redundancy notice period. 1st January 2011
End of 90 day redundancy notice period. 31st March 2011
12
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
9.0 Recommendations
9.1 The Executive Member is recommended to:
(i) Approve the final proposals set out in Appendix 7 and
(ii) Subject to the approval of the Executive Member for Human Resources, Organisational Development and Diversity, delegate implementation of the new structure, including details of voluntary redundancy arrangements and consequential recruitment and selection, to the Chief Executive and the Director of Children‟s Services.
13
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
APPENDIX 1: List of People and Organisations invited to take part in the Consultation
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth
Formal Consultation started on 1 July 2010 and ended at 5pm on 20th October 2010
Consulted Organisations
14 - 19 Partnership Action for Children African Association of Bolton Barnardo‟s Barnardo‟s Young Carers Base Ltd. Birtenshaw Bolton / Bury (EBP) Bolton Arena Trust Bolton Community Network Bolton Council Of Mosques Bolton CVS Bolton CVS - Trustee Bolton Lads & Girls Club Bolton Literacy Trust Bolton One Bolton Under Fives Forum (BUFF) Bolton Wanderers Community Trust BOSPAA Bully Free Zone C&YP Strategic Partnership Catholic Children‟s Rescue Child Action North West ECM Clusters Fairbridge Fortalice Fortalice – Bolton Women‟s Aid Greater Sport Harmony Group
14
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Service Review Final Proposals November 2010
Harmony Project Harmony Youth Project Homestart Bolton Medi8 NCH Neighbourhood Managers Parenting Group Primary Care Trust Respect Schools - Heads of PE Schools - Primary Heads Schools - Secondary Head Schools - Secondary Pastoral Schools - Secondary Schools inc special schools Schools Sports Partnership SERCO Sharples Wrestling Club Solidarity (used to be: NBSCA) Special Needs Under Fives Support (SNUFS) Spectrum Community Arts CIC Sport England Sports Colleges St Andrews Methodist Church Sycamore Projects at Zacs Bar The Harmony Group The Octagon Theatre The Phoenix Urban Outreach VCS Engage – North West YMCA Youth MP's and Youth Forums Youth Sport Trust Zacs Project
15
APPENDIX 2: Summary of Consultation Activity
Integration of Sport Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth
Formal Consultation started on 1 July 2010 and ended at 5pm on 20th October 2010
Consultation Activity Date
Service manager requested staffing information. July 2010
Union Joint Operations Group (JOG) 1st July 2010
Service manager requested job descriptions and job overviews for SHI. 9th July 2010
All staff invited to evening staff brief held on 15th July to listen to Margaret 15th July 2010 Asquith‟s SaE presentation.
Discussion took place with Children‟s Services Participation Team to discuss July 2010 consultation with young people
Member of staff queried redeployment rights. 3rd August 2010
Union Joint Operations Group (JOG) 5th August 2010
Union Joint Operations Group (JOG) 23rd August 2010
Meet with Caretaker at Burnden Park 24th August 2010
Staff briefings held – one for „at risk‟ staff and one for all general staff in the 2nd September 2010 affected departments.
Online survey to key stakeholders 6th September 2010
Union Joint Operations Group (JOG) 6th September 2010
Visited Caretaker at Burnden Park 7th September 2010
Staff member requested full executive member report, including appendices. 10th September 2010
Children and Young People‟s Third Sector Strategic Forum – Steering Group. 15th September 2010
Follow up meeting with the Youth Participation Team. 15th September 2010
Extension of consultation period. 15th September 2010
Met with staff member regarding ring fence query. 17th September 2010
Union Joint Operations Group (JOG). 20th September 2010
Meet with Youth MPs. 21st September 2010
Staff member (via Unison) requested re-grade on JNC Terms and Conditions. 22nd September 2010
Children and Young People‟s Third Sector Strategic Forum – briefing for 23rd September 2010 partners.
Youth MP‟s meeting with the Director of Children‟s Services. 24th August 2010
Meet with Cluster 2,4 and 8 school Head Teachers. 28th September 2010
Meet with Youth MPs and Youth Forums. 28th September 2010
Meet with Cluster 9 school Head Teachers. 30th September 2010
Meet with Cluster 3 School Head Teachers. 1st October 2010
Assist staff with alternative employment opportunities. Throughout consultation period
Meet with staff on a one-to-one basis on request. Throughout consultation period
Union Joint Operations Group (JOG). 8th October 2010
Meeting with PCT. 14th October 2010
Union Joint Operations Group (JOG). 18th October 2010
Meeting with the Sports Trust. TBC
Post Consultation Feedback to At Risk Staff. 10th October 2010
The 14 - 19 Partnership. 13th October 2010
Union Joint Operations Group (JOG) - Post formal response to clarify any 25th October 2010 issues.
Close of Consultation meeting with 'At Risk Staff'. 10th November 2010
Final Feedback to At Risk Staff 24th November 2010
All Staff Briefing and Feedback - Post Final Decision 25th November 2010
APPENDIX 3: Summary of Consultation Responses and Proposed Changes
Integration of Sport Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth
Formal Consultation started on 1 July 2010 and ended at 5pm on 20th October 2010
The table below provides a list of all of the key issues raised during consultation along with a proposed response to each. All issues specific to the circumstances of individuals have been discussed and resolved with those individuals and, where appropriate, their trade union representatives.
Ref* (U/S Consultation Response Comment and Proposed Change ) * U = response and comments made as part of the formal consultation process by Unison S = additional comments made by individuals How will savings be made The intention is to make some of the savings by utilising as many existing workers and resources. by cutting the cost of This will lead to a reduction in overall costs i.e. recruitment, training, uniforms, marketing and U Summer programme publicity.
How will the cuts affect The changes mainly affect the retail activity of the Resource Centre. The physical play resources U the Play Resource Centre and equipment will continue to be available via the Resource Centre. This will continue to include the equipment hire, „scrap‟ store, training, advice and guidance to voluntary groups. How will the cuts affect The activity aspect of the scheme is in part self financing through a 'rent and buy' scheme selling the the Youth Initiatives young artists work throughout the year. Following the transfer of the 16 - 19 commissioning from the Programme Learning and Skills Council in April 2010 alternative funding opportunities are being explored. Bolton also intends to put together a partnership bid to offer the Youth in Focus Programmes (which is a new initiative through the Big Lottery Fund) which will provide opportunities for this group of U young people. Planning is already taking place between the 14 – 19 Partnership and local FE providers to develop new provision for the most vulnerable target groups. This will include those young people that are NEET and/or have a disability. The new Bolton College has highly specialist facilities and opportunities for many vulnerable groups and specialist provision will be made available through the College prospectus and local offer. The young people have a key worker who will continue to support individuals through a personal support plan. How will the cuts affect The proposal is to cut by 50% the Miscellaneous Sports Grants and the associated costs. The PCT the Sports Grants currently commissions Sport, Health and Inclusion to deliver activities and the intention is to cease to U manage and administer these programmes. The School Sports Partnership and Bolton Community Leisure Trust currently commission Sport, Health and Inclusion to deliver swimming. National initiative and performance indicators have ended. This work is being reviewed. The proposal is
that discussions take place with Bolton Community Leisure Trust about how these programmes can be managed and delivered in the future.
How will the cuts affect In the Bolton there are over 50 quality assured and approved counselling providers that offer the Counselling Service services for children and young people. Some are town centre based and others are locality based. U Information about the services can be easily obtained through the newly developed Directory of Services. Counselling is not a statutory service for local authorities. What is a 'spot Spot Purchasing Budgets are included in a variety of forms in contracts and/or as part of funding purchasing' budget' arrangements. For example in Adult‟s social care as part of the personalisation agenda funding is allocated on an individual basis to support a personalised package of care and access to services. U In this context through the Intensive Intervention Programme the Lead Professional manages a personal budget for individual young person. The funding enables quick and easy purchasing of support for an individual such as training or access to specific sports such as football. The budget can also provide funding to 'fast track' young people through paid for services i.e. counselling. What is the break down of the budgets Positive Contribution Division - Mainstream Budget Breakdown 2010/11 Allocation £000 Youth 683,000 U Sport, Health and Inclusion 526,900 Play 153,000 TOTAL Mainstream 1,363,000 NOTE: Savings and efficiency target 2011/12 needs to be deducted from the above once they have been approved. What is the breakdown of Breakdown of External Funding the grants Grant Total Allocation
Standard's Fund
Extended Schools - Sustainability 1,152,383.00 U Extended Schools - Subsidy 1,178,160.00 Area Based Grant
Children's Fund 919,164.00 Connexions 2,793,084.00 Extended Schools - Start Up 363,057.00 PAYP 414,091.00 PAYP - Additional 510,220.00
Connexions - January Guarantee 47,304.00 ABG/LPSA2 Flexible Element
SHI - Culture 37,471.00 Targeted Youth Support 255,224.00 Juvenile Response 120,000.00 Parenting 30,000.00 Youth Opportunity Fund 375,900.00 Home Office
Crime Concern 54,000.00 DCSF Grants
Parenting Early Intervention 120,000.00 Parenting Experts 50,000.00 Respect Parenting Practitioners 50,000.00 IIP 200,000.00 Challenge & Support 75,000.00 TOTAL 8,834,420.00 All the above are due to end 31st March 2011 Miscellaneous 60k (PCT which is commissioned work which ends March 2011). Football Foundation - this is ending shortly. Misc Badminton / Swimming money for various schemes. Lottery grant which runs for two years and should be due to end in the next year. Westhoughton Town Council for „Get Active Westhoughton‟. Further information on the costs of counselling In the previously reviews of Youth/Play and Connexions/ESW the counselling service was not within and if it is internal or the scope and it was always the intention to review the service at later date. Currently there is only external one full time counsellor that manages a maximum caseload of 20 young people. The cost of providing staff, professional development, training, accommodation and resources make the service expensive to maintain and unsustainable. No income is generated from the Council run service as it is offered free of charge. The cost of counselling services vary across the borough, however, based U on information supplied by Occupational Health as a guide is costs approximately £35 per session. Counselling Costs – Estimate cost of bought in services 20 Sessions per week for 45 weeks potential cost income £31.5k Service Costs 09/10 10/11 Estimate £000 £000 Staffing £26k £26k
Operational Costs £8.5k £2k Accommodation Costs £18k £19 TOTAL £52.5k £47k
What is the Statutory The Youth White Paper „Youth Matters – Next Steps‟ laid out a vision and a programme for young responsibility is to people aged 13 – 19 of a strong local menu of things to do and places to go. Clause 6 of the provide information on Education and Inspections Bill clarified the duty on the Local Authority to provide and promote services, not necessarily positive activities for young people which came into force in January 2007. Web-based information U provide the service? is expected to be the principal means of communication. The information should be comprehensive, kept up to date and accurate. Bolton had developed a Directory of Service which children, young people, parents, professional and service users can access. The Directory includes information about the local counselling services in Bolton. What grants have been The following have already been reduced, cut or ending 2010/11: stopped? Area Based Grant Cut in year Extended Services Start Up (via ABG) Ended Find Your Talent Ended Football Foundation No further allocation to Bolton Councils anticipated U Inspiring Communities Cut in year – end 31/3/2012 Lottery Grant Ends 2011 PCT commissioned health work Ends 2011 Young Peoples Substance Misuse Cut in year Youth Task Force Grants Ends 31/3/2012 ABG has a major impact as the Positive Contribution Division relies heavily on this. Why is reference only Principal Sport Development Officer's - three out of the four are assigned to the same Unique ID made to one generic DS10137, the other is assigned to DS10141 Principal Health & Fitness Development Officer. All Sport Health and four are within the same job family and the JD/PS are dated 2005. No review of these posts has U Inclusion Job description been undertaken after the appeal which was heard in 2008 There is no record of any other JD/PS's when there are 4 unique having been processed by Pay and Grading. job descriptions? Requested copy of the Operations Manager – Active Living job overview for Request for Overview. Set to Union by email Friday U Operations Manager - 24/09 Active Living
During the at risk The rationale for the reduction in services and posts is based on an anticipated scaling back of consultation meeting commissioned services, short term funding and cut in grant funding. The savings and efficiencies U Julie Thompson scoped into this review are affected by cuts that have already been made or external grants that end reiterated the statement in 2010/11. In the main the funds covered the activity element of the service. The following have
from the report i.e. that already been reduced, cut or ending 2010/11: the rational for the Area Based Grant Cut in year funding/staffing cuts are Extended Services Start Up (via ABG) Ended based on the Find Your Talent Ended “speculation” that Football Foundation No further allocation to Bolton Councils external anticipated funding/grants/commissi Inspiring Communities Cut in year – end 31/3/2012 ons will be reduced or Lottery Grant Ends 2011 stopped following the spending review. PCT commissioned health work Ends 2011 Young Peoples Substance Misuse (PCT) Cut in year Youth Task Force Grants Ends 31/3/2012 ABG has a major impact as the Positive Contribution Division relies heavily on this funding. Although we will not know the actual details of the grant settlement until the Comprehensive Review in October 2010 we fully expect that there will be a significant reduction. In addition there is an expectation that ring fenced arrangements will be removed which further put services at risk. It anticipated that further cuts to grants will be made following the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending review.
During efficiencies and The budget information is detailed in the Report. The savings and efficiencies can only be made savings meetings with from Local Authority main stream budgets as follows: management it was LOCAL AUTHORITY MAINSTREAM SERVICE stated that Play and BUDGET 2010 Youth had a combined Sport, Health & Inclusion £526,900 mainstream budget of Play £153,000 500k and that no savings Youth £683,000 could be made as a result In 2009/10 the Play and Youth Services contributed towards the overall Children‟s Services of the Play and Youth departmental savings and efficiencies targets from its main stream budget. Similar amounts where service “total reliance” U found from the Youth budget in previous years. on grants and external % Reduction funding. This being the 08/09 09/10 % Reduction 10/11 on 09/10 case it is regrettable but Service Budget Budget on 08/09 Budget surely unacceptable that mainstream funded Sport Youth & Play Health and Inclusion 1,973.6k 1,125k 43.00% 836.2k 25.67% (SH&I) staff are put at risk TBC but grant reliant Youth Sport, Health & -0.67% Adults 523.4k 0% 526.9k and Play staff are not? Inclusion Increase Services
It has now been Staff within Youth and Play is mainly matched against grant funding and so would not provide any documented that the savings against the target. Play/Youth core budget is In Sport, Health and Inclusion staffing costs form the majority of the controllable revenue operating in fact over £800k. Why budgets. As such no significant savings can be made within that service without reviewing and was this figure not reducing the staffing establishment. The Table below illustrates the percentage split of the budget declared at the between „Staff‟ and „Other‟: efficiencies meetings? Budget % % 2010/11 £ Staff Other Play 153,000 66.30% 33.70% Youth 683,200 49.07% 50.93% Sport 526,900 77.32% 22.68% As a percentage of total expenditure
(i.e. excluding income)
As part of their savings It is only possible to consider the saving proposals that can be achieved by the end of this financial and efficiencies year. Some of the proposals put forward by Sport Health & Inclusion where initial proposals and submission SH&I subject to further negotiation and review. These suggestions have not yet been developed enough management put forward to demonstrate that the savings can made within this financial year - 2010/11. In addition some of proposals that minimised the discussion with partners relies on them accepting the transfer of employment liability to them and potential redundancies to it is not certain that this would be acceptable nor would it provide cashable savings. one mainstream Principal Sports Development Officer (PSDO) post whilst at the same time U also minimising reductions in service via a proposed strategic commissioning arrangement with Bolton Community Leisure Trust. Why has this and the other SH&I savings proposals not been included in the report.
Based on the above we Positive Contribution: Savings and Efficiencies – Suggestions from Management Meetings 6th and would like to see a 12th July 2010 U breakdown of the core Play/Youth budget and SUGGESTIONS BUDGET INCLUDED IN REPORT
the strategic savings and efficiencies that were presented by Play/Youth Delete vacant posts from establishment. Determined via HR Yes services as contributions to the efficiency savings Reduce the Summer Programme activities. Youth & Play Yes presented by SH&I End Fixed Terms contract; - Positive Youth & Play Yes managers. Activities – Fixed Term Post (5-19) (Grade 8) comes to an end March 2011. Re-designate the Paulham Street Play Youth & Play Yes Resource Centre. Reduce Operational Budget – Sport Health Sport, Health & Yes and Inclusion achieved through efficiencies. Inclusion Reduce One Team Leader Post Sport Sport, Health & Yes Health & Inclusion: Principle Sports Inclusion Development Officer Delete post: Counsellor and Youth Youth & Play Yes Initiatives & Programmes Manager. Delete Caretaker Post assigned to Burnden Youth & Play Accommodation Report Sports Centre – 6 hours caretaker contract deleted. Close Burnden Sports Centre. Youth & Play Accommodation Report Close The GAP Youth Centre, Halliwell Youth & Play Accommodation Report Closure. Close St Helen‟s Road Youth Centre. Youth & Play Accommodation Report Transfer of staff funded via grant to Sport, Health & Transferring staffing liability swimming to SERCO. Inclusion does not provide a cashable saving. Castle Hill reduction in sports activity Youth & Play Not yet at a stage that this will programme – (Review SLA with SERCO). identify cashable savings for 2010/11. Review SHI Commissioned Contracts with Sport, Health & Not yet at a stage that will Health. Inclusion identify cashable savings for 2010/11. Reduction in specified commissioned Youth & Play Subject to CSR outcome and services/grants from main stream budget to scoped into a wider review of voluntary organisations. (Mainstream/ Third Sector Funding being led Children's Fund /PAYP /YOF/Youth/TYS). by the Chief Executives Department in partnership with
CVS. Review of Outdoor Education. Youth & Play Being considered as part of a wider review of traded services with schools.
What are the vacant post Costs Budget .Post Level that are to be taken as £ Source past of the savings? Youth Leader. Youth Service Youth Workers Level 2 30,596.25 Youth Youth Leader. Youth Service Youth Workers Level 2 14,374.74 Youth U Youth Leader. Youth Service Youth Workers Level 2 9,791.46 Youth Part time Youth Participation Worker Youth Workers Level 1 1,682.64 Youth Sport Senior Project Officer Grade 7 34,254.27 SHI Resource Worker Grade 4 21,896.46 Play
During the same The work with adults will continue via the current partnership arrangements with other agencies, efficiencies meetings, some of which is subject to funding. management stated that the Director of Children’s Services had confirmed that the Leisure Trust will be responsible for delivering the work with adults. Management also U confirmed at the JOG meeting that the Development and Capacity post will work across 5-19 activities. Does the new structure highlighted in the report only therefore take account of work across 5-19’s? Capacity Post (Vacant) – The Capacity Build post was a newly established generic post to work across the services as why is this post sat on agreed with staff and Unions as part of the Youth Review in 2009. The post holder will coordinate PC Ops Management and support staff across all the services including capacity building of providers and partners U when the Capacity (including voluntary and community groups). Nobody was appointed to this post during the 5 - 19 Programme has been Review. Within the proposed new structure this vacant post has been retained. At present no posts managed by SRI Manager „at risk has been directly matched into this vacancy; however anybody displaced through the
in support of integration process will have first priority to apply for the post. Team Leaders and Principal Sport Development (evidence to back up) Officers have responsibility for supporting and developing providers and the Capacity Build post is responsible for overseeing the quality assurance, training and support across the services. The Sport, Regeneration and Inclusion Manager led and coordinated the recent development work across all the services as a project lead (not as the manager). Both the Operations Managers will continue to manage the performance targets associated with capacity building. JD/PS does not reflect The new Head of Service will lead on the further integration services. The Positive Contribution the SIAP and does not Service Improvement Action Plans (SIAP) reflects the work of the services integration over the last reflect the integration 18 months. The SIAP sets out the key strategic priorities. Individual service areas then produce a work of the service over Delivery Plan. The Delivery Plan informs the individual work programme of staff. Job descriptions the last 18 months. and Person Specification are not required to reflect the SIAP. This is done through the Personal U Development Review (PDR) which works alongside the corporate business planning process. The PDR translates the organisation‟s strategic priorities, through departmental and the SIAP into individual work plans and objectives. PDR‟s enable services to identify what development is needed to allow individuals to best meet their work objectives. These are agreed through discussion between managers and their staff members.
Locality working – why The Positive Contribution Division operates on a locality planning and delivery model which is does the integration of overseen by the Head of Service. Targets have been set and agreed by localities by all staff. The the services not have the Positive Activities Team Leaders are responsible for day to day management of buildings and the 5 - same locality working 19 sessional delivery. Consequently they directly manage a significant number of locality based model attached to it as sessional workers. The Principal Sports Development Officers develop borough wide provision detailed in the (which includes adults) and therefore there is no need to duplicate the structure for Sports U recommendation from the Development. However all staff contribute to the locality planning and allocation of resources. verbal Youth Review and the subsequent youth and play (5-19) review. Have we now moved away from this recommendation? Given the fact that we do Given the savings and efficiency targets set for the Division it would be impossible to maintain the not know the outcome of current level of resource. However, it is important that we maintain and if possible develop what the spending review, that resources are available to prepare for future opportunities and challenges. Physical activity and there is no delivery plan active living is much wider than just sport and health and there is a need to develop a broader vision U in the consultation pack for the borough. The aim will be to ensure physical activity and active living is embedded within and taking into policy to: consideration the points Increased physical activity amongst children, older people, disadvantaged and vulnerable raised in no. 6 - what is groups. the rational for the
structure being proposed Increasing the awareness of physical activity messages. for the Sport and Active Optimising opportunities to participate in physical activity. Living Manager and The newly developed job description and person specification describes the broader scope for sport PSDO x 2. What services and physical activity. The Service Improvement Action Plan (SIAP) reflects the delivery plan of the will the new service not Positive Contribution Division. The Division has been set a target to find budget saving and be delivering. This efficiencies of £405.5k for 2011/12. Staffing costs form the majority of the Division's controllable information will be revenue operating costs. As such no significant savings can be made without reviewing and needed in order to reducing the staffing establishment. In the previous review of the Play and Youth Service undertake a meaningful (December 2009) it was identified that integration of management arrangements would provide consultation with economies of scale and so the proposal is to bring together the management functions into one partners on the impact of single management structure. In order to make the overall saving this can not be done without: reductions and/or Reduction of management removal of services. Further integration of services Stopping some activities Redesigning others
What will the new service not be delivering? £60k commissioned activity through the PCT as it end March 2011. 50% cut of the positive activities Summer Programme Council run counselling service Some of the miscellaneous Sports Grants and associated management costs Football Foundation activity Lottery Grant funded volunteering programme Swimming linked to the National initiatives and national performance Retail element of the Resource Centre Monitor the 5 hour sport offer. At the start of the consultation process partners where offered the opportunity for further information and clarification of the proposals through either individual discussions or a meeting. All requests to date have been accommodated. According to colleagues Active Living refers to sport and health in its widest context and is in line with others local and health in Adult Services and authorities approaches. This broader view makes the links to other partners and agencies aims and Bolton’s Primary Care priorities and will encourage further partnership working and joint funding. It will be the responsibility Trust’s Public Health of the Assistant Director supported by the Head of Service and Operations Managers to contribute to U there is no Active Living the development of this strategy. This will not be done until the new structure is in place and strategy. Where/what is operating well. The transfer of Public Health into the Local Authority by 2012 will be an opportunity Active Living that is to influence the broader policy and strategy. This will incorporate national and local priorities based referred to in the report? on the level of funding and resources available.
Based on the information Led by the Positive contribution Management Team all the Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth contained within the staff have all been involved in developing the „Vision‟ for the service including the Area/Ward Plan, review, no reference is performance targets and the jointly developed delivery model which includes: Directly delivered made to the impact that provision, Commissioned work with the third sector and other partners, partnership working with this new structure will other agencies, Capacity building with grassroots voluntary sector providers and supporting have on front line volunteering by both adults and young people. This work will continue however, some of the targets delivery. There appears may need to be scaled back. The intention is to continue to focus on the areas of highest to be no strategic deprivation. understanding of how or what this new service will deliver. When questioned U at the at risk consultation meeting, management claimed that the new ops’ managers would implement the delivery plan. If this is the case how can a structure be proposed that has no rationale, strategy or vision for a service.
There needs to be a Both an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) and Heath Impact Assessment (HIA) have been Quality Impact completed and are included in the report. assessment in the final review. Based on the above – i.e. Q5 - four principal officers (PSDO) reduced to two yet only one job description was U supplied. Each PSDO delivers a varied and diverse role. The impact of losing these specialisms should be added in to the Quality Impact Assessment.
Why was the Head of One of objectives of the review was to reduce management posts. A number of options where Youth and Play Services considered and discussed during the scoping stage of the review. It was finally agreed that the not sent an at risk letter more generic/corporate senior manager and leadership skills where best matched across the U at the same time as the structure between the Heads of Services Head of Sport, Health & Inclusion Services. Who is looking at the Corporate EMT Directors (Keith Davies and Steve Arnfield), supported by the Director of Children‟s Leisure Trust option as a Service (Margaret Asquith), Assistant Director – Positive Contribution (Julie Thompson) are leading means of minimising the on the discussions. U impact of this review – as described by management at the JOG meeting? What was the rationale In 2009 as part of the review of Play and Youth the rationale of the review was to integrate services for the appointment of and reducing management costs which resulted in the proposal to reduced Head of Service Posts. the Head of Play/Youth in U the previous VFM? What One Head of Service took Voluntary Early Retirement and so in accordance with the policy the was the recruitment and remaining Head was slotted into the posts. selection process for this post? Counselling – Unison Information provided and available on request. stated they are still U unclear where the counselling services are in Bolton. Management to provide Breakdown of External Funding and Ring Fence Arrangements information on which All ABG funding moved from ring fenced to Area Based Grant grants are currently ring- flexible element arrangements fenced. Children's Fund Connexions Extended Schools - Start Up U PAYP PAYP - Additional Connexions - January Guarantee SHI - Culture Targeted Youth Support Juvenile Response Parenting
Youth Opportunity Fund Ringfence removed Parenting Ringfence removed Challenge & Support Ringfence removed
Unison requested 2 members of staff information on how much 1 x 2 hour briefing session time is spent on this kind U 1 x 1 hour meeting with Third Sector Forum of work by staff. Management to provide further information. Discussion around Referrals to the Counselling Service predominately come from Early Interventions and Connexions Keyworkers for young service. This via Personal Advisors and Keyworkers referral. Referrals also are received from people with special Bolton Lads and Girls Club, Parallel, Teenage Pregnancy, Youth Inclusion, Social Care, CAMHS, needs. Management to Emotional Health Team and parents from the Lead Professional. Schools: Ladybridge, Rivington U clarify whether all these and Blackrod, Little Lever, Sharples, Harper Green, Withins and Cannon Slade. A maximum of 16 young people have a young people have been referred for Counselling by the Intensive Intervention Programme over the PA/Keyworker. past 18 months. NHS Bolton and other approved providers will continue to provide counselling as at present. Keyworkers/PA/Lead Professionals will continue to signpost to appropriate sources of counselling. Requested PAGR scores Score for the two senior posts 755 in SH&I.
Head of Sport – Grade 13
U Sport, Regeneration and Inclusion Manager – Grade 11 Score
646
Management said that as As management‟s proposals developed, HR and Finance advice was provided accordingly. Initially plans had been proposals were around the SH&I management posts only but after the challenge session a Head of developed a number of Service role combining youth and sport was developed by management with HR input (and pay and U options were considered grading processes completed) and at that point it was deemed appropriate to put the Head of Play and as proposals were and Youth at risk. further developed some
changes were made and both heads of service were put at risk. Unison asked had HR been involved at the early stages of developing the proposal. Management confirmed that they had. Unison asked what HR advice had been given. Places where Active 1. Bristol Living approaches are 2. Kingston being developed: 3. Merthyr Tydfil 4. Somerset U 5. South Norfolk 6. Suffolk 7. Sunderland 8. Wigan UNISON Response to Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth consultation based on the report to The Executive member for Children’s Services, dated 31st August 2010 - See Appendix 4 for the Union response document
UNISON RESPONSE MANAGEMENT
Counselling Service - Managements list of over 50 „counselling In Bolton there are over 50 quality assured and approved services‟ are in fact mostly adult agencies. Most counsellors and counselling providers, some of which offer services specifically agencies will not work with young people under the age of 16yrs or for children and young people, e.g. Bully Free Zone, Bolton 18yrs. Counsellors working privately, if they counsel young people Council of Mosques, Action for children, The Parallel, they would not risk having young people in their homes due to the Barnardo‟s, Child Action North West and individual freelance nature of some issues e.g.: Anger, so they would still need premises counsellors,. U to work in and most importantly cover and insurance. The profession is heavily regulated and works in accordance with a strict code of ethics, which requires confidentiality, accountability and regular clinical supervision. This means that that those who currently do not work to Quality Assured standards i.e. those who do not have formal Counselling Qualifications or clinical supervision are not able to practice. The Quality Assured processes include requirement to:
safeguard children and young people from harm and / or abuse enable children and young people to have a positive experience of accessing emotional health support ensure that where a mental health issue is identified there is a clear pathway for them to access appropriate support. The Spending Review for health highlights 6 areas where resources and funding will be „increased in real terms' including access to psychological therapies which will be expanded. It is therefore important that health leads on this area. Referrals for these services needs to be made via by GP's and other health professional who can provide access to free, confidential and quality assured services.
The Councils proposals for the integration of Sport, Health and It is unlikely that the spot purchasing budget will continue beyond Inclusion, Youth and Play Services outline a “reduction” in the March 2011 and there is not indication at the moment that this provision of counselling activities. During consultation it was outlined will be replaced. Therefore, it will not be possible to offer a that the department would move to a “needs led approach” and Children's Services funded and operated Counselling Service in commission counselling provision through “spot purchasing” budgets the future. U as required. At the end of the consultation period we were shocked to be informed that the Council‟s plan was always to cease the provision of counselling for 13-19 year olds through its in-house delivered service and had no plans for the commissioning of any other services.
The service came under review last year which led to the Management acknowledges that the review of services is an disestablishment of a full time counsellor; the remaining Counsellor anxious time for all staff and would not want to unnecessarily but subject to this review has in effect been through this process twice any individual at a disadvantage. Being scoped into a review and should have been included in the previous review when other (even when it is known that the service will be review in the opportunities may have been afforded to our member. future) has both positive and negative benefits and has U advantages and disadvantages. In 2009/11 within the Positive Contribution Division two separate reviews took place. Each of the reviews had separate aims and objectives. The 5 – 19 aimed to reduce management posts and integrate youth and play into a single service and the ESW/ Connexions aimed to integrate the early intervention functions of two separate
services working with the same young people. At the time the management view was that it was not appropriate to include all services as the roles where not comparable with the aim and objectives of the review. The post in question was funded through the Youth Service and was not a management post and so was not within scope at that time.
Management‟s argument at the time for our member not to be Management accepted that staff may feel concern because of included was due to one post being paid from the former Connexions the timing and sequencing of reviews. Management would want Service budget (the one disestablished last year) and this post paid to minimise any distress wherever possible. At the time it was from the Youth Service budget. Unfortunately this argument does felt unreasonable to put staff at risk that were not directly not hold weight with Unison, as other members paid from Youth affected by the proposed cuts. Like all review some people are Service were included in the last review and factored into the advantaged and some disadvantaged and it is not possible to U proposals for the new Early Intervention and Connexions Service. make any guarantees to any individual that there role will be Our position last year was the service should have been reviewed as protected. Last year it was not clear if it would be possible to a whole. Our view is that this has brought further personal distress retain this service, however, circumstances have now changed as this has led to an extended review period for this member, whilst and the funding is no longer available. trying to continue to deliver the service with 50% reduction to the young people who need this service.
Unisons view is this proposal will effectively end the in-house Yes, the in-house delivered counselling service will stop and delivered Counselling Service delivered to some of the most young people will access services as previously identified in this U vulnerable in our community, with a negative detrimental impact on response. what they will be able to access in the future. .
Youth Initiatives and Programmes Our member who undertakes the role of Youth Initiatives and Discussions have taken place with the 14 - 19 Partnership and Programmes Manager has a specific and specialist role in both they will consider all proposals as part of their commissioning delivering frontline services to young people and undertaking process. At this stage there are no guarantees about specific
management functions within the new Early Intervention and funding for specific projects. U Connexions Service. The role initially involved the following aspects: Management of the services Access Centres including, Wellfield, The Workshop, The GAP and Farnworth Management responsibility for the Counselling Service
Enterprise development and delivery specifically target for LDD young people Strategic lead on behalf of the service on LDD. With regards the enterprise development and delivery, management have suggested that this work is not value for money in relation to cost of delivering this provision. Unison disagrees with this suggestion as this work focuses on LDD young people who have additional needs, we request that should additional funds be secured through 14-19 Commissioning or ESF that this work is continued and expanded upon to support wider vulnerable groups to develop young people‟s skills regarding enterprise.
Since the establishment of the new Early Intervention and The statutory duty to ensure Section 139a (Learning and Skills Connexions Service and the reduction of several of the above duties Act 2000) assessments take place lies with the local authority including the transfer back for the responsibility for the Wellfield and and should not sit with one individual. The purpose of the Farnworth and the disestablishment of the full time counsellor, these assessment is to provide a comprehensive report of the support duties have been replaced with key management areas within the needed, by a young person with a learning difficulty and/or Early Intervention Team which the current management structure disability, to ensure they are able to succeed in post-16 does not have the capacity to deliver as follows: education or training or higher education. It should bring Responsibility for out of area LDD ensuring the authorities together all salient and relevant information about the young statutory duties regarding LDA‟s (Section 139a) are provided for person. Assessments will be undertaken by the Key workers those learners who are educated outside of the borough (25 supported by the District Manager and the LA Special young people at present) including the allocation of PA caseloads Educational Needs Service.
and liaising with partners regarding transition. U Leading on the provision of evidence/reports to the Inclusion and Workforce Development is a corporate and departmental Statutory Assessment Service on behalf of the Early Intervention function and will be provided through the associated workforce Service for SEN Assessments. In the last quarter 25 of these development plan. have been submitted alone. Workforce development lead for the Early Intervention Service for those working with young people with disabilities, developing training resources to meet staff development needs. Strategy involvement for Transition (for all vulnerable groups) on behalf of the Early Intervention and Connexions Service. These responsibilities although added to the post have not been evaluated and therefore may not have been picked up in the review.
U
The Early Intervention Service is aware of the significant importance There are some potential overlaps with the SENIAS Service. of co-ordinating its strategies for vulnerable groups and the District This will be explored further through the wider review of the SEN Managers do not have the capacity to deliver this. These areas services. include: To develop a consistent approach for Key Workers to implement at the key transition stage from primary to secondary education It has already been agreed to look at the capacity of the District for those young people identified to have transition issues, Managers. collating and analysing information to inform future planning for individuals linked to Person Centred Reviews and LDAs. Analysis of those young people within the NEET group who are identified as LDD identifying preventative strategies to inform work with the early intervention service and improved targeted interventions for those already NEET. Influencing commissioning and indentifying additional funds to support young people with LDD.
As the duties and responsibilities of the post holder lay within the Management would not want to deliberately disadvantage any Connexions Service delivery but funded via the Youth Service based individual through the review process. However it is recognised on a historical decision in 2002 our member feels aggrieved at not that through the ongoing roll out of the savings and efficiencies being scoped into the 5 – 19 and/or the Connexions/ESW review. programme that individuals may be affected more than once. U Therefore resulting in the post holder having limited opportunities to be matched against. Their experience, qualifications and expertise would have clearly scoped them in to roles that have been established but are now taken up.
Unison believe that the functions relating to LDD and wider transition Until the full extent of the grants cuts is know it would not be are essential to improving outcomes for young people via the new possible to consider this option at present. Early Intervention Service and we are concerned that the existing District Managers and Head of Service do not have the capacity to
pick up this work. We therefore suggest that management consider U how this post or a new post can be sustained by the use of the funds from a vacancy within the Early Intervention Service and other funds assigned to the delivery aspects of the enterprise scheme which do not appear to have been picked up in the review.
U Sport, Health & Inclusion (SH&I) - Unison wish it to be noted, as part Management welcome the proposals for the SH&I Management of their savings and efficiencies submission SH&I management team Team The majority where taken into consideration and are put forward proposals that minimised potential redundancies to one being taken forward Those that where not possible to mainstream Principle Sports Development Officer (PSDO) post whilst progressed did not provide cashable saving and so could not be at the same time also minimising reductions in service via a proposed considered. Detailed information was provided during the JOG strategic commissioning arrangement with Bolton Community Leisure meetings. Trust. The Assistant Director, has acknowledged this and arrangements have been made to meet with the Trust, Unison await to see what this will bring, we request management keep us fully informed and wish to be included in any developments which may transpire over the coming months, as we feel this would in the long term provide the efficiency savings needed whilst retaining an excellent service delivery.
In addition Unison request on behalf of our members, if this option is It is not clear how this could take place within current HR viable, that the current Head of Sports, Health and Inclusion plus processes in addition the Trust does not have the mechanisms
appropriate sports development staff be transferred to the Trust to to directly employ staff themselves. Discussions with the Trust U commence the strategic development work that will be needed in the are not yet concluded and firm proposals developed. It is the future. intention to continue this option during the implementation stage.
The consultation did not commence on a positive note, as the Head This issue was covered through the consultation period in the of SH&I was put „At Risk‟ whilst the Head of service for Youth and JOG meeting in some detail. Play was not, given this was to be a merging of services, our member in SH&I felt they have been placed at an unfair disadvantage from the The report presented to the Exec Member(s) with the final draft outset, as the initial ring-fence was with the manager below them recommendations scoped in both Heads of Service. within the structure. Surely this does not offer a fair, transparent and
equal process. During the development stage of the proposals a number of U options where considered and discussed which resulted in some changes. For example it was agreed that the generic/ corporate senior manager and leadership skills where duplicated across the proposed structure between the Heads of Services. At this point the Head of Service be integrated and reduced to one. The Head of the 5 – 19 was then sent an at risk letter.
Unison would urge management to ensure any future reviews Initially 227 staff were potentially to be put at risk. Through U identify, from the outset, the appropriate people to be issued „at risk‟, careful development of the proposals aimed at reducing the
these are difficult times to begin with, and Unison and their members impact on front line staff it was possible to reduce this to 28 and do not need the additional pressures placed on them. It was felt by then finally 11. Unison membership that management made decisions based on what they had wanted, but following HR advice, had to change their position to the corporate line.
The review proposes the reduction of the Principal Sports Officers The generic job description will provide enough flexibility to (PSDO) from 4 to 2. Each officer currently, whilst having the same job incorporate the diversity of the roles and responsibilities. profile, undertake very different and specific roles, Active Health (Cardiac Re-hab, mental health), Workforce Development (Training Grants currently funds activity. Following the reductions for some 700 volunteers, Apprentice scheme), Sports Specific (Club outlined in the CSR it is clear that activity will have to be development, sports and health clubs, ensuring safeguarding) and scaled back, and this in turn will reduce the workload of
Community Sports Development (Community groups, (disability sport, Principal Sport Development Officers U access to funding). It became evident during consultation, that senior management was unaware of these job specifics. Unison‟s representation for this section, outlines, they currently work to full capacity, and whilst a small number of grants have been identified as „Ended‟ or „Ends 2011‟this is not unusual in this service, as grants are normally renewed or replaced.
Unison questions how a meaningful consultation, has been Area Based Grant Cut in year conducted with partner services or service users, when the Extended Services Start Ended department are unclear, until the Governments CSR what impact their Up (via ABG) will be. Management have stated during consultation, following the Find Your Talent Ended CSR, they may well adjust some of the proposals. Football Foundation No further allocation to Bolton Therefore service delivery will be left to 2 factors, which of the 2 Councils anticipated PSDO are employed, and which grants are renewed and what other Inspiring Communities Cut in year – end 31/3/2012
grants come into this section. Unison request consideration is given Lottery Grant Ends 2011 U to the SH&I own recommendations of a reduction of 1 PSO leaving 3 PCT commissioned Ends 2011 in the service. This will allow time for the Trust option to be explored health work and a balanced view being taken on what the CSR will provide for. Young Peoples Cut in year Substance Misuse (PCT) Youth Task Force Ends 31/3/2012 Grants
ABG has a major impact as the Positive Contribution Division which relies heavily on this funding. We now know that this funding will be significantly reduced. The ring fenced arrangements have been removed which means that in the future funding may not be available for current activity...
Job roles and descriptions - Concerns were raised as to the PSDO The generic job description has been produced which reflects a Job Descriptions in the review, Unison highlighted that this did not broader and more generic range of roles and responsibilities. accurately reflect the work that is currently being undertaken by all 4 officers. We are pleased the Management team have agreed to The revised Job Description and Personal Specification does not produce a JD to accurately reflect the future service delivery. This JD disadvantage any individuals and provides equal opportunities U will be more generic that will allow for all the 4 PSDO‟s to apply for the four Principal Sports Development Officer to be ring NOTE: this has been agreed but to date no JD has been produced, or fenced into the remaining posts. any consultation with the Head of Service or the Operations Manager. Union have requested an extension if this is not produced before the end of the consultation.
Unison also raised issues regarding the Capacity Building Post, it was JD/PS updated with information provided by SHI. felt that the JD did not reflect the SIAP and does not reflect the integrated work of the service over the last 18 months. It was further suggested that Management re- assess the Capacity post to look to
realign in light of work that has been developed over the last 18 U months in conjunction with the SIAP and integrated work of the 5-19 service and Sport, Health and Inclusion Service. Management advised that this would be a decision made by the new head of service and the Operations Managers.
Consultation - It is felt that a meaningful consultation with Partners Written Respondents Number cannot be fully incorporated at this stage due to there being no clear A member of the public* 5 strategic plan for service delivery. It is felt that if Partners fully A council member of staff 8 understood what is remaining and what is being stopped or reduced Partner, representative of an organisation, voluntary or community group 11 U then the results of the consultation may differ from the current Total 24 responses. Based on the information contained within the review, no reference is made to the impact that this new structure will have on The total of 24 written responses is considered good as it front line delivery. represents a percentage return rate of 30% against an average
of 10%.
There appears to be no strategic understanding of how or what this The strategic priorities of the Division will not change and remain new service will deliver. Unison therefore questions how the the same, but the level of activity consultation with partners influences the equality impact assessment, furthermore Unison have not had sight of the health impact The report proposes the development of and Active Living
assessment. Strategy which will be developed through the implementation U stage. The strategy will contain the strategic direction based on new Government policy and any targeted funding available to support activity.
Unison request management undertake a meaningful consultation Over 80 organisation included in the consultation. with Partners once the results of the CSR are available. 15 responded in writing via online questionnaires.
To present partners with the accurate picture on what the service will Responded to requests for further information and individual U be delivering, what will be stopping and what will be reduced. meeting, Director of Public Health, Youth Forums, C&YP Strategic Forum.
In Conclusion: Unison are aware of the difficult financial times ahead, The Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) creates a very we do not accept these cuts have to be made at this time on front line challenging position for the Council and in particular Children's delivery staff which ALL the potential redundancies would have. We Service. Management are they can to manage the impact of strongly oppose this, and urge management and the executive these spending reductions and doing all that they can and will its members to look to the councils budgets to ensure cuts are made best to mitigate the position as much as we are able for staff and from buildings, procurements, and non –FRONT LINE service the public. Management understand this will be a worrying time delivery. Unison wholly opposes any cuts which impact on front line for everyone. The original estimate suggested that the savings
services. It is quite disappointment we note the forming of we would need to achieve would be around 10% or £15m per U management teams who are looking at how to make cuts, and feel year for four years. The outcome of the settlement is that we this is not a usual use of the council‟s budgets. probably need to find c£20m in 2011/12. There is considerable uncertainty about some of the specific grants we currently receive for Children‟s Services. The Government Culture, Media and Sport current spending is being cut by 24% and capital spending down 32%. This service also relies on PCT funding
U The counselling service, we are being told is to be cut because it is Counselling is not a statutory council service and is offered free
not a statutory service, and there are other services which can of charge via a referral. Child and Adolescent Mental Health support vulnerable young people. Unison challenges the authority‟s Services (CAMHS) were set up to promote the mental health positions, when it states there are other agencies to pick up this work, and psychological wellbeing of children and young people and to the counselling services shared with ourselves, mainly work with offer assessment and treatment as well as give support to adults. The LLD does have a statutory duty, and at present Unison is families. concerned that the current district manager (Connexions) are at full capacity, so much so management have acknowledged they are reviewing the situation at present and are considering the need of a 3rd manager. Unison did warn in the Connexions review, that those cuts were too deep and were not workable.
In sports, health and inclusion again the 4 staff management inform Sports England one of the main funders is seeing its budget cut us are at full capacity, and cover a whole range of services, Unison by 33% and Schools Sports Partnership have also been cut. U feel it is totally unacceptable to cut services at this time until other Grants have been cut and activity will reduce accordingly. forms of budget and revenue are explored first.
The report does reference throughout, that the Head of Service will The Assistant Directors post is scoped into a wider review of report to The assistant director for Positive Contributions, Unison management within children‟s service and will be scoped into
would like clarification regarding the departments intentions on the that review. The savings will contribute to the overall saving of U management structure, when the current AD, Positive Contributions the Department. leaves in March, on VER.
Furthermore, Unison formally request, if it is the department‟s The review of senior management has not yet been completed
intention not replace the Assistant Director then those savings be put and this post will be scoped into that review. Any savings will U into this review. contribute to the departments overall savings target.
As the consultation period is now concluded, Unison look forward to a Management thanks Unison for the detailed response and looks
period of genuine negotiation which should lead to a reduction in the forward to the continued and ongoing negotiations. U proposed redundancies.
STAFF CONSULTATION QUESTIONS
Request for the Currently in progress. S Counselling Posts to be revaluated Staff claims for matches All request have been considered and ring fencing arrangements changed accordingly S Job
At the last Big Bolton There are a number of possible options regarding topping up your pension which are outlined in the Briefing Shaun Wheeler booklet at the attached link. http://www.gmpf.org.uk/curl_documents/Topping%20up.html. More said that where would be information is available from the Extra Benefits Team of the Greater Manchester Pension Scheme who a way of making can be contacted via 0161 301 7031 or from Prudential who can be contacted via 0845 6070077. The additional payments to LA is not authorised to provide financial advice. S our pensions but when I spoke with the pension provider I was told that this information was incorrect? How will the Councils When undertaking a review of service the Council is required to carry out an Equality Impact efficiencies affect Assessment (EIA) on the proposals. The EIA looks at the anticipated impacts of the proposal on people MENCAP and other from Bolton‟s diverse communities, and whether any group(s) is likely to be directly or indirectly governing bodies – can I differentially affected. This Equality Impact Assessment builds on the equality screening which was have this information in completed on the initial review options, and summarises the stakeholder consultation which has been writing please? completed as part of this review. Due to the nature of the proposals, and the need to make significant S savings, it is anticipated that there could be some adverse impact on some groups. While it is not expected that this will be differential, care has been taken to understand the issues arising, and to take action to minimise the possible impacts. Should the proposals be approved by the Executive Member, they will be reviewed following implementation to check whether any unanticipated differential impact has arisen, and to respond accordingly. You can see the full report containing the detailed proposals and EIA Screening on the council‟s website www.bolton.gov.uk.
Why is the Operations Both operations managers‟ posts are evaluated at grade 10. The proposed new post is costed at the Manager - Active Living highest point on that scale merely to reflect what would be the maximum cost of the new proposed S paid at the highest point structure. However any new staff member moving into that post would be assimilated at the nearest on the SCP Scale. SCP point to the grade that they are currently paid.
Why is the Operations In relation to your view that a more appropriate grade for the Operations Managers Post would be grade Managers Post grade at 11 rather than grade 10, incumbents are entitled to appeal against your current grade and I have S 10 when they should be detailed below the guidance about the appeals process. Grade 11?
Questions in relation to Personal response given to the individual(s) that made the enquiry and access to training offered.. S setting up Own Business.
APPENDIX 4: Formal Trade Union Response(s) to the Proposals.
Response to Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth consultation based on the report to The Executive member for Children’s Services, dated 31st August 2010
This report is based on the feedback from Unison members meetings and written questionnaires. It also references feedback we have received from partners and services users. It does not take into account any queries made directly to management.
As part of the Councils departmental reductions the Positive Contribution Division has been set a target to find a budget saving and efficiencies of £405.5k. The further report to identify savings of £50k has yet to be seen by Unison. The buildings report has not been seen, although it is referenced in consultation meetings as being ready to share.
Unison accepts that where efficiencies savings can be made this is preferable to outsourcing or closing down of services. During the 4 consultation meetings, to discuss this review, we feel the department sets out „savings‟ for the council, but it will not provide efficiencies as is outlined in the report. These have clear „Front Line‟ impacts, which Unison feels is not acceptable for the people of this town, at a time, when we should be building and strengthening services in these areas.
There appears no clear link between the services of this review, other than they are all under the Assistant Director for „Positive Contributions‟. Initially Unison was not opposed to a short consultation period, as it was assumed this was a small review, however it soon became clear, that it is 3 very different services pulled into the scope of this review, and for this, has made consultation disjointed, which management have acknowledged.
We therefore feel we need to break our comments down into these different sections.
Counselling Service
The current Counselling Service sits within the Early Intervention and Connexions Service and is universally offered to young people aged 13-19 who are referred or self-referred. The service operates from community locations. The service has always been needs led and offers a range of interventions with young people on a one-to-one and group basis. Group sessions have delivered support on anger management, self esteem and motivation. Many of the issues present are extreme cases and work undertaken prevents young people requiring more costly specialist interventions. Over the last 18 months the service has supported 390 young people through which referrals come from a range of partner agencies, most of the agencies that management refer to as providers, actually refer into The Gap, these agencies do deliver a service specifically supporting and sign posting in their own field but they do not all offer counselling on a one to one basis as most do not have the capacity to offer this service. Managements list of over 50 „counselling services‟ are in fact mostly adult agencies. Most counsellors and agencies will not work with young people under the age of 16yrs or 18yrs. Counsellors working privately, if they counsel young people they would not risk having young people in their homes
due to the nature of some issues e.g.: Anger, so they would still need premises to work in and most importantly cover and insurance.
According to Independent research, it shows that 80% of clients who received counselling from a Local Education Authority Counselling Service (8) were:
„Reporting significant improvements in their situations as a direct result of counselling. A majority of clients also reported feeling better “in themselves” as a result of counselling and as having gained in confidence and self – esteem. „The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy‟ (BACP) - Guidance Booklet on Counselling in Schools.
The Councils proposals for the integration of Sport, Health and Inclusion, Youth and Play Services outline a “reduction” in the provision of counselling activities. During consultation it was outlined that the department would move to a “needs led approach” and commission counselling provision through “spot purchasing” budgets as required. At the end of the consultation period we were shocked to be informed that the Council‟s plan was always to cease the provision of counselling for 13-19 year olds through its in-house delivered service and had no plans for the commissioning of any other services.
The service came under review last year which led to the disestablishment of a full time counsellor; the remaining Counsellor subject to this review has in effect been through this process twice and should have been included in the previous review when other opportunities may have been afforded to our member.
Management‟s argument at the time for our member not to be included was due to one post being paid from the former Connexions Service budget (the one disestablished last year) and this post paid from the Youth Service budget. Unfortunately this argument does not hold weight with Unison, as other members paid from Youth Service were included in the last review and factored into the proposals for the new Early Intervention and Connexions Service. Our position last year was the service should have been reviewed as a whole. Our view is that this has brought further personal distress as this has led to an extended review period for this member, whilst trying to continue to deliver the service with 50% reduction to the young people who need this service.
Unisons view is this proposal will effectively end the in-house delivered Counselling Service delivered to some of the most vulnerable in our community, with a negative detrimental impact on what they will be able to access in the future.
Youth Initiatives and Programmes
Our member who undertakes the role of Youth Initiatives and Programmes Manager has a specific and specialist role in both delivering frontline services to young people and undertaking management functions within the new Early Intervention and Connexions Service.
The role initially involved the following aspects:
Management of the services Access Centres including, Wellfield, The Workshop, The GAP and Farnworth Management responsibility for the Counselling Service Enterprise development and delivery specifically target for LDD young people Strategic lead on behalf of the service on LDD
With regards the enterprise development and delivery, management have suggested that this work is not value for money in relation to cost of delivering this provision. Unison disagrees with this
suggestion as this work focuses on LDD young people who have additional needs, we request that should additional funds be secured through 14-19 Commissioning or ESF that this work is continued and expanded upon to support wider vulnerable groups to develop young people‟s skills regarding enterprise.
Since the establishment of the new Early Intervention and Connexions Service and the reduction of several of the above duties including the transfer back for the responsibility for the Wellfield and Farnworth and the disestablishment of the full time counsellor, these duties have been replaced with key management areas within the Early Intervention Team which the current management structure does not have the capacity to deliver as follows:
Responsibility for out of area LDD ensuring the authorities statutory duties regarding LDA‟s (Section 139a) are provided for those learners who are educated outside of the borough(25 young people at present) including the allocation of PA caseloads and liaising with partners regarding transition. Leading on the provision of evidence/reports to the Inclusion and Statutory Assessment Service on behalf of the Early Intervention Service for SEN Assessments. In the last quarter 25 of these have been submitted alone. Workforce development lead for the Early Intervention Service for those working with young people with disabilities, developing training resources to meet staff development needs. Strategy involvement for Transition (for all vulnerable groups) on behalf of the Early Intervention and Connexions Service.
These responsibilities although added to the post have not been evaluated and therefore may not have been picked up in the review.
In addition the Early Intervention Service is aware of the significant importance of co-ordinating its strategies for vulnerable groups and the District Managers do not have the capacity to deliver this. These areas include:
To develop a consistent approach for Key Workers to implement at the key transition stage from primary to secondary education for those young people identified to have transition issues, collating and analysing information to inform future planning for individuals linked to Person Centred Reviews and LDAs. Analysis of those young people within the NEET group who are identified as LDD identifying preventative strategies to inform work with the early intervention service and improved targeted interventions for those already NEET. Influencing commissioning and indentifying additional funds to support young people with LDD.
As the duties and responsibilities of the post holder lay within the Connexions Service delivery but funded via the Youth Service based on a historical decision in 2002 our member feels aggrieved at not being scoped into the 5 – 19 and/or the Connexions/ESW review. Therefore resulting in the post holder having limited opportunities to be matched against. Their experience, qualifications and expertise would have clearly scoped them in to roles that have been established but are now taken up.
Unison believe that the functions relating to LDD and wider transition are essential to improving outcomes for young people via the new Early Intervention Service and we are concerned that the existing District Managers and Head of Service do not have the capacity to pick up this work. We therefore suggest that management consider how this post or a new post can be sustained by the use of the funds from a vacancy within the Early Intervention Service and other funds assigned to the delivery aspects of the enterprise scheme which do not appear to have been picked up in the review.
Sport, Health & Inclusion (SH&I)
Unison wish it to be noted, as part of their savings and efficiencies submission SH&I management team put forward proposals that minimised potential redundancies to one mainstream Principle Sports Development Officer (PSDO) post whilst at the same time also minimising reductions in service via a proposed strategic commissioning arrangement with Bolton Community Leisure Trust. The Assistant Director, has acknowledged this and arrangements have been made to meet with the Trust, Unison await to see what this will bring, we request management keep us fully informed and wish to be included in any developments which may transpire over the coming months, as we feel this would in the long term provide the efficiency savings needed whilst retaining an excellent service delivery.
In addition Unison request on behalf of our members, if this option is viable, that the current Head of Sports, Health and Inclusion plus appropriate sports development staff be transferred to the Trust to commence the strategic development work that will be needed in the future. The consultation did not commence on a positive note, as the Head of SH&I was put „At Risk‟ whilst the Head of service for Youth and Play was not, given this was to be a merging of services, our member in SH&I felt they have been placed at an unfair disadvantage from the outset, as the initial ring-fence was with the manager below them within the structure. Surely this does not offer a fair, transparent and equal process.
Unison would urge management to ensure any future reviews identify, from the outset, the appropriate people to be issued „at risk‟, these are difficult times to begin with, and Unison and their members do not need the additional pressures placed on them. It was felt by Unison membership that management made decisions based on what they had wanted, but following HR advice, had to change their position to the corporate line.
The review proposes the reduction of the Principle Sports Officers (PSO) from 4 to 2. Each officer currently, whilst having the same job profile, undertake very different and specific roles, Active Health (Cardiac Re-hab, mental health), Workforce Development (Training for some 700 volunteers, Apprentice scheme), Sports Specific (Club development, sports and health clubs, ensuring safeguarding) and Community Sports Development (Community groups, (disability sport, access to funding). It became evident during consultation, that senior management was unaware of these job specifics. Unison‟s representation for this section, outlines, they currently work to full capacity, and whilst a small number of grants have been identified as „Ended‟ or „Ends 2011‟this is not unusual in this service, as grants are normally renewed or replaced. Unison questions how a meaningful consultation, has been conducted with partner services or service users, when the department are unclear, until the Governments CSR what impact their will be. Management have stated during consultation, following the CSR, they may well adjust some of the proposals.
Therefore service delivery will be left to 2 factors, which of the 2 PSO are employed, and which grants are renewed and what other grants come into this section. Unison request consideration is given to the SH&I own recommendations of a reduction of 1 PSO leaving 3 in the service. This will allow time for the Trust option to be explored and a balanced view being taken on what the CSR will provide for.
Job roles and descriptions
Concerns were raised as to the Principal Officer Job Descriptions in the review, Unison highlighted that this did not accurately reflect the work that is currently being undertaken by all 4 officers. We are pleased the Management team have agreed to produce a JD to accurately reflect the future service delivery. This JD will be more generic that will allow for all the 4 Principal Officers to apply NOTE: this has been agreed but to date no JD has been produced, or any consultation with the Head of Service or
the Operations Manager. Union have requested an extension if this is not produced before the end of the consultation.
Unison also raised issues regarding the Capacity Building Post, it was felt that the JD did not reflect the SIAP and does not reflect the integrated work of the service over the last 18 months. It was further suggested that Management re- assess the Capacity post to look to realign in light of work that has been developed over the last 18 months in conjunction with the SIAP and integrated work of the 5-19 service and Sport, Health and Inclusion Service. Management advised that this would be a decision made by the new head of service and the Operations Managers.
Consultation
It is felt that a meaningful consultation with Partners cannot be fully incorporated at this stage due to there being no clear strategic plan for service delivery. It is felt that if Partners fully understood what is remaining and what is being stopped or reduced then the results of the consultation may differ from the current responses. Based on the information contained within the review, no reference is made to the impact that this new structure will have on front line delivery. There appears to be no strategic understanding of how or what this new service will deliver. Unison therefore questions how the consultation with partners influences the equality impact assessment, furthermore Unison have not had sight of the health impact assessment.
Unison request management undertake a meaningful consultation with Partners once the results of the CSR are available. To present partners with the accurate picture on what the service will be delivering, what will be stopping and what will be reduced.
In Conclusion:
Unison are aware of the difficult financial times ahead, we do not accept these cuts have to be made at this time on front line delivery staff which ALL the potential redundancies would have. We strongly oppose this, and urge management and the executive members to look to the councils budgets to ensure cuts are made from buildings, procurements, and non –FRONT LINE service delivery. Unison wholly opposes any cuts which impact on front line services. It is quite disappointment we note the forming of management teams who are looking at how to make cuts, and feel this is not a usual use of the council‟s budgets.
The counselling service, we are being told is to be cut because it is not a statutory service, and there are other services which can support vulnerable young people. Unison challenges the authority‟s positions, when it states there are other agencies to pick up this work, the counselling services shared with ourselves, mainly work with adults. The LLD does have a statutory duty, and at present Unison is concerned that the current district manager (Connexions) are at full capacity, so much so management have acknowledged they are reviewing the situation at present and are considering the need of a 3rd manager. Unison did warn in the Connexions review, that those cuts were too deep and were not workable.
In sports, health and inclusion again the 4 staff management inform us are at full capacity, and cover a whole range of services, Unison feel it is totally unacceptable to cut services at this time until other forms of budget and revenue are explored first.
The report does reference throughout, that the Head of Service will report to The assistant director for Positive Contributions, Unison would like clarification regarding the departments intentions on the management structure, when the current AD, Positive Contributions leaves in March, on VER.
Furthermore, Unison formally request, if it is the department‟s intention not replace the Assistant Director then those savings be put into this review.
As the consultation period is now concluded, Unison look forward to a period of genuine negotiation which should lead to a reduction in the proposed redundancies.
Andrea Egan, on behalf of membership Assistant Secretary Bolton Unison October 2010
Appendix 5
Equality Impact Assessment
Title of Report / Proposal
Integration of Sport Health Play and Youth
Department Children‟s Services
SIAP Unit Positive Contributions
EIA Screening Yes Undertaken?
Date of 3 August 2010 Screening
Location of In report to Executive Member for Children‟s Services dated 31st August completed 2010 located at: screening http://www.democracy.bolton.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic/Meeting.aspx?me records etingID=2528
This report is for decision and is therefore subject to an Equality Impact Assessment. The following questions have been completed to ensure that this proposal, procedure or working practice does not discriminate against any particular social group. Details of the outcome of the Equality Impact Assessment have also been included into the main body of the report.
Equality Impact Assessment
Describe in summary the aims, objectives and purposes of the proposal, including desired outcomes.
The general aim of the review relates to the integration of sport, health and inclusion, youth and play into a single service and a reduction in core provision. These changes are driven by the need to create savings and efficiencies in line with the strategic aims of Children‟s Services and the wider strategic objectives of the Council.
It is proposed that in order to achieve the required savings the Positive Contribution Division will reduce overall management costs as well as:
Fully integrated Sport Health and Inclusion, youth and play into a single service. Review commissioning budgets and contracts. Development of mobile resources.
The proposals will require a number of posts to be made redundant.
Who is intended to benefit from the proposal and in what way?
The Positive Contribution Division within Children‟s Services contributes to the Local Authority Children‟s Services agenda of improving outcomes for children. It focuses on the provision of services for children and young people aged 5 to 19 and their families by providing:
A universal offer of positive activities, information, advice and guidance that provides support for all children and young people to achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes by increasing engagement, attendance and attainment. For those more vulnerable young people the service is offered through a more targeted model based on early identification of need and referral.
There is also a focus on sport, physical activity and promoting of healthy lifestyles which are focused on adults as well as children and young people. This means that all children and young people in the borough, and their families, may be affected by the proposed reduction in core provision.
Who are the main stakeholders in relation to the proposal?
Children and young people from 5 – 19 years and their families Community groups and local community Community Leisure Trust and Partners PCT - Health Schools/Colleges Service staff Sport England Voluntary and private sector providers including Bospaa and other Youth Offending Team
Initial Screening for Differential Impact
Mitigating Actions
We have reviewed demographic and economic data published by the Office for National Statistics and information about the ways in which Children and Young People access our services based on performance data collected by the service. This has given us a clear understanding of which parts of the borough are most in need of targeted interventions. Future decisions about the prioritisation and location of services will be informed by this intelligence.
Impact on Staff
Staff –We are aware of the adverse impact this proposal will have on Council staff that may be subject to these proposals and are conscious of the impact of these proposals.
Any potential redundancies that may result from the proposed restructure will comply with the Council‟s Human Resources procedures which are designed to treat all staff equally and do not discriminate against any group of people. If a redundancy situation is identified the Council endeavours to address this by workforce planning procedures, including staff redeployment, consideration of voluntary redundancy or VER and all other reasonably practical measures.
In the event of compulsory redundancy, our policy is based on: - work performance; skills and competencies; disciplinary record; and attendance record. Any reduction in the workforce will lead to a potential reduction in its diversification, however this will be through following the appropriate procedures and not the discrimination of particular members of staff based on any other criterion except that stated in our redundancy policy.
The services that fall within the scope of this review do not have a more unequal gender balance than the rest of the Department. However, it is a particular concern to us that a significant proportion of the staff in the cohort that will be affected by these proposals are aged 20 or under.
We have already recognised that, in the current climate, the department will need to redouble its efforts to help young people find appropriate employment and training on leaving school. Accordingly, the Department has plans to strengthen the local labour market‟s willingness to engage young people by reviewing our current opportunity brokerage systems and, from December 2010, producing a quarterly Labour Market Information bulletin. The personal advisers attached to our new Early Interventions service plans to begin carrying out quarterly employer engagement sweeps, with an aim of increasing the extent to which local employers engage with the Department to offer employment opportunities for young people, later this year.
Q.5 With regards to the Diversity target groups below:
Is there any potential Could this lead to positive or Can this adverse impact be Please give details of what for differential adverse impact and if so justified on the grounds of measures or changes you will impact? what? promoting equality of put in place to remedy any opportunity for one group, or identified adverse impact for any other reason Yes. Families can At screening, we identified With regard to all the groups The proposals include a Race currently see the fact potential concerns that families identified in this assessment, it reprioritisation of resources to that activity is provided may be reluctant to access should be noted that this ensure that children and young or funded by the local private provision that does not proposal is driven by the people most in need of access authority as a come with the guarantees that corporate and departmental to our services continue to be guarantee that the diversity will be recognised that needs to significantly reduce supported activity provided will be Bolton Council‟s equality policies spend in line with national culturally sensitive and provide. In fact, review of budget reductions and the need The principle that developmental relevant to the needs consultation responses from a to set a balanced budget. and informal learning and wishes of Bolton‟s wide range of stakeholders has However, it should be noted that opportunities are provided by a diverse communities. not identified any anxiety about we will always seek to provide balance of council and external this specific issue. Nonetheless children with the social and providers is well established in we will continue to keep this developmental opportunities Bolton and it is our intention to issue under review. they need in the most cost continue providing a balanced effective way possible. This offer. The Council has always proposal does not simply cut promoted, and will continue to services; rather it refocuses both promote, activity provided by provision and management partners as well as the council activity with the aim of ensuring itself. that those children and young people who most need access Any provision registered with to the particular social and Ofsted has to meet minimum developmental opportunities the standards for the promotion of Department is able to support equality and the recognition of are able to do so even in the children‟s diverse backgrounds. current challenging climate. Similarly, although it is not a regulator, Sport England maintains an active stance on the promotion of equality and the need to ensure that all children and young people have
the opportunity to take part in sporting activity.
Any external provision funded or commissioned by the Council is subject to the Council‟s performance management procedures. This will continue to be the case.
As part of the further consultation we carry out on these proposals, we will be seeking to establish whether fear that services which are not publically provided will not be culturally sensitive is an issue in Bolton and the extent to which parents know that there is a framework that seeks to ensure that children‟s diversity is respected. We will identify any necessary measures to respond to parents‟ concerns following this consultation. Yes. Families can At screening, we identified Any provision registered with Religion currently see the fact potential initial concerns that Ofsted has to meet minimum that activity is provided families may be reluctant to standards for the promotion of or funded by the local access private provision that equality and the recognition of authority as a does not come with the children‟s diverse backgrounds. guarantee that the guarantees that diversity will be Similarly, although it is not a activity provided will be recognised that Bolton Council‟s regulator, Sport England culturally sensitive and equality policies provide. In fact, maintains an active stance on relevant to the needs review of consultation responses the promotion of equality and and wishes of Bolton‟s from a wide range of the need to ensure that all diverse communities stakeholders has not identified children and young people have any anxiety about this specific the opportunity to take part in issue. Nonetheless we will sporting activity. continue to keep this issue
under review As part of the further consultation we carry out on these proposals, we will be seeking to establish whether fear that services which are not publically provided will not be culturally sensitive is an issue in Bolton and the extent to which parents know that there is a framework that seeks to ensure that children‟s diversity is respected. We will identify any necessary measures to respond to parents‟ concerns following this consultation.
Disability Yes. Reduction in A limited amount of provision Provision for the young people services provided by currently targeted at supporting who are no longer able to the Youth Initiatives young people with disabilities access the specific service being and Programmes and who are at risk of becoming withdrawn will be available Manager may reduce NEET will be removed from the through the Council and the services available Council‟s offer. partners 14 – 19 programme. to disabled children and young people We are confident that provision in Bolton will continue to cater for the needs of children with disabilities.
Any provision registered with Ofsted has to meet minimum standards for the promotion of equality and the recognition of children‟s differing abilities. Similarly, although it is not a regulator, Sport England maintains an active stance on the promotion of equality and the need to ensure that all children and young people have
the opportunity to take part in sporting activity.
At screening, we identified potential initial concerns that families may be reluctant to access private provision that does not come with the guarantees that diversity will be recognised that Bolton Council‟s equality policies provide. In fact, review of consultation responses from a wide range of stakeholders has not identified any anxiety about this specific issue. Nonetheless we will continue to keep this issue under review
The statutory duty to ensure The consultation Section 139a (Learning and process identified a Skills Act 2000) assessments potential for the review take place lies with the local to impact on the authority and should not sit with conduct of S 139 one individual. The purpose of assessments for young the assessment is to provide a people educated comprehensive report of the outside the borough. support needed, by a young person with a learning difficulty and/or disability, to ensure they are able to succeed in post-16 education or training or higher education. It should bring together all salient and relevant information about the young person. Assessments will be undertaken by the Key workers supported by the District Manager and the LA Special
Educational Needs Service.
Examination of N/A N/A Gender performance data has shown that there does not appear to be any gender bias in access to informal education services. We do not believe that there will be any differential impact as a result of this proposal but will continue to keep this under review. Yes, some provision Provision which 5 – 19 year olds We will seek to encourage all Age will not be available for make use of may no longer be children and young people 5 – 19 year olds. available. affected to continue to attend provision local to their communities. The new posts in the structure which seek to enhance the provision of mobile working will make it easier for services to be targeted at those communities with highest levels of disadvantage
The new Bolton Directory will greatly improve young people‟s, parent‟s and carers‟ ability to locate social and developmental activity and to see which of these activities are free or low cost. Although this directory is available on line, parents without internet access at home will be able to use the directory free of charge in the borough‟s libraries.
In addition to this, the borough‟s summer activity offer, including provision from partners is widely promoted through the use of print media and direct promotion in schools. Research conducted N/A N/A Sexuality by Stonewall has identified the barriers that some lgbt young people face in accessing mainstream youth services and highlighted the need for the development of specialist provision for lgbt young people to complement mainstream provision as a way of addressing these. Bolton has developed specialist provision along the lines recommended by Stonewall. This provision is outside the scope of this review and will continue to operate. Yes Yes. Any reduction in the scope The Department has an existing Caring Status of our 5 – 19 offer that leads to very effective arrangement with the removal of specific activities two leading voluntary or sessions could inevitably organisations that provide make it more difficult for children services for Bolton‟s young and young people who are only carers. We will continue to work able to access services at with these organisations and to specific times because of their publicise their services so that caring responsibilities to parents young carers are better able to or other family members. access support and recreational
opportunities Socio- Yes, children and Yes, children and young people We will seek to encourage these economic young people in areas from communities with high groups to continue to attend Disadvantage of socio-economic levels of disadvantage and/or provision local to their disadvantage have low income families may have communities. benefited by targeted more limited access to services. services within their Disadvantaged communities will own communities. Although there are private sector be identified by use of the alternatives for some of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation services in the scope of this and performance data These review, it will inevitably be a will be kept under review to concern that families who have a ensure that services continue to low income will be unable to target the communities that make use of private sector need them most,. provision which may be more expensive than existing public The new posts in the structure provision which seek to enhance the provision of mobile working will make it easier for services to be targeted at those communities with highest levels of disadvantage. In particular, the increased use of the mobile units will ensure that services can be more effectively delivered in local communities which face greatest disadvantage reducing the extent to which children and young people from the most disadvantaged areas are forced to rely on public transport. For those young people who have to rely on public transport to reach specific high level activities which it is not possible to provide locally, it will be noted that young people under 16 are entitled to travel at
concessionary rates. A “Junior Bus Saver” ticket would reduce the cost of travel across Greater Manchester for a young person to £ 8 per week.
The new Bolton Directory will greatly improve young people‟s, parent‟s and carers‟ ability to locate social and developmental activity and to see which of these activities are free or low cost. Although this directory is available on line, parents without internet access at home will be able to use the directory free of charge in the borough‟s libraries.
Additional considerations
Children and Yes. Children and Yes, it may be more difficult for Counselling services will still be Young People young people who the young people concerned to available in Bolton locally. who need request counselling access the counselling they counselling would no longer be need In Bolton there are over 50 support able to access it quality assured and approved through the 5 – 19 counselling providers, some of service which offer services specifically for children and young people e.g. Bully Free Zone, Bolton Council of Mosques, Action for children, The Parallel, Barnardo‟s, Child Action North West and freelance providers.
The profession is heavily regulated and works in accordance with a strict code of ethics, which requires confidentiality, accountability
and regular clinical supervision.
This means that that those who currently do not work to Quality Assured standards i.e. those who do not have formal Counselling Qualifications or clinical supervision are not able to practice. The Quality Assured processes include requirement to:
safeguard children and young people from harm and / or abuse enable children and young people to have a positive experience of accessing emotional health support ensure that where a mental health issue is identified there is a clear pathway for them to access appropriate support. Referrals for these services is normally made by GP's, schools and health professionals including CAMHS to free, confidential and quality assured services.
In the event that anything a child or young person says gives rise to potential child protection concerns these will be acted on immediately through established procedures as at present. Children and Yes - Children and Yes. This could lead to a loss of The new Bolton Directory will
young people young people will lose social and developmental greatly improve young people‟s, who use the the service they opportunities for children and parent‟s and carers‟ ability to summer currently are able to young people, and greater locate social and developmental activities access. Parents and expenditure for parents. activity and to see which of programme carers will, in some these activities are free or low and their cases, have to make cost. Although this directory is parents and alternative available on line, parents without carers arrangements for child internet access at home will be care during the able to use the directory free of summer holidays charge in the borough‟s libraries. Although this directory is available on line, parents without internet access at home will be able to use the directory free of charge in the borough‟s libraries Children and Yes. If provision of Children and young people who The new post of Sport and young people sporting activity is currently participate in these Active Living Operations who participate reduced, children and sports programmes may have Manager will have a clear remit in specialist young people who reduced access to them. to take a strategic overview of sports currently participate in sports provision in the borough programmes these sports and to ensure that the needs of for our most programmes may have all children and young people in promising reduced access to Bolton are met as well as children these programmes. possible within the resources we have The proposals will have the effect of reducing the amount of provision that the local authority is able to make available to children, young people and their families. Other Comments or Staff –We are aware of the adverse impact this proposal will have on Council staff who may be subject to these proposals and issues are conscious of the impact of these proposals.
Any potential redundancies that may result from the proposed restructure will comply with the Council’s Human Resources procedures which are designed to treat all staff equally and do not discriminate against any group of people. If a redundancy situation is identified the Council endeavours to address this by workforce planning procedures, including staff redeployment, consideration of voluntary redundancy or VER and all other reasonably practical measures.
In the event of compulsory redundancy, our policy is based on: - work performance; skills and competencies; disciplinary record; and attendance record. Any reduction in the workforce will lead to a potential reduction in its diversification, however this will be
through following the appropriate procedures and not the discrimination of particular members of staff based on any other criterion except that stated in our redundancy policy.
The services that fall within the scope of this review do not have a more unequal gender balance than the rest of the Department. However, it is a particular concern to us that a significant proportion of the staff in the cohort that will be affected by these proposals are aged 20 or under. We have already recognised that, in the current climate, the department will need to redouble its efforts to help young people find appropriate employment and training on leaving school.
Accordingly, the Department has plans to strengthen the local labour market’s willingness to engage young people by reviewing our current opportunity brokerage systems and, from December 2010, producing a quarterly Labour Market Information bulletin. The personal advisers attached to our new Early Interventions service plans to begin carrying out quarterly employer
Part 1: Summary Internal Consultation
Please explain what internal consultation has been undertaken over this proposal:
Please see details of internal consultation contained in Appendix 1 of this report
A formal briefing session and presentation for all staff on 2nd September 2010.
A staff consultation pack containing in addition to some of the things listed below, the
original report to Executive Member; a draft consultation and proposed implementation
timetable; details of support for staff and a consultation response form.
Access to all job descriptions and person specifications existing and proposed;
Weekly update of the Vacancy Bank register emailed to all staff at risk, with support for staff
who have taken up opportunities to apply for jobs as a result; Holding personal meetings with all members of staff attended by HR and/or trades unions representatives where required; Following up meetings with more specific support (for example around interview technique, or enrolment onto OD provided sessions); Requesting expressions of interest (without prejudice at this stage) from staff for voluntary redundancy and for other forms of flexible working including reductions in hours; Full staff Briefings Briefings meetings to update those staff that are at risk. Regular Departmental Joint Consultative Committee (DJCC) meetings with recognised trades unions. Regular Joint Operations Meetings between Assistant Directors and Service Managers and trades unions. Responding to specific requests for information from the trades unions; Receipt of a formal written response from trades unions. Consultation with all Children‟s Services Department Senior Managers via monthly Senior Managers Meetings. Consultation with Children‟s Services Department staff through open staff briefings and via ECM newsletter. Direct consultation with headteachers through Primary and Secondary Headteacher Executives, Headteacher consultation groups and savings and efficiency breakfast briefings. A letter to all headteachers and Chairs of governing bodies of Bolton schools summarising the proposal included as part of the Departments savings and efficiencies programme, providing details of where the full details of consultation proposals are available from and inviting response. Individuals meetings with partners as requested.
What changes have you made to the proposal as a result of this consultation?
Early Intervention Service and Post – Management are addressing how the function relating to LDD and wider transition are incorporated into the new Early Intervention Service and the concerns that the existing District Managers and Head of Service capacity.
Bolton Community Leisure Trust (BCLT) Development - consideration is being given to the Bolton Community Leisure Trust (BCLT) option and the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review. Discussions are currently underway.
Capacity Building Post - Management in consultation with staff are reassessing the Capacity Building post to ensure that it is aligned to integrated work of the 5-19 service and Sport, Health and Inclusion Service.
Capacity Build Post – Management have agreed that the line management and reporting responsibilities of the Capacity Building Posts changed from the Operations Manager - Positive Activities to the Operations Manager – Active Living
Consultation – Management will continue to undertake a meaningful consultation with partners in relation to the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Principal Sport Development Officers - Management and staff have revised generic Job Description and Person Specification for the Principal Development Office.
Principal Sports Development Officer (1 post) and the Youth Initiative Manager has been scoped in and ring fenced into the Capacity Build Lead vacant post.
Mobile Resources Lead Vacancy – The Deputy Resource Centre Manager has been matched against the vacant post of mobile resource Lead.
External Consultation Please explain what consultation with external stakeholders has been undertaken over this proposal:
A total of 24 completed questionnaires were received, although respondents may have raised more than one issue. The respondents were as follows:
Respondent Number
A member of the public* 5 A council member of staff 8 Partner, representative of an organisation, voluntary or community group 11 Total 24 *having read the comments it is clear that these respondents are children / young people who currently use the service. The following questions were asked: Q. How will the proposals outlined affect you or the organisation you are representing? Q. Can you think of any other solutions to address the issues we are facing/ Q. Do you have any other comments or questions? The main themes from the responses are summarised in the table below. No of Themes comments Limit / unable to deliver e.g. government's agenda, partnership working, that organisations objectives 8 WhatNo suggestions changes have for youalternative made to solutions the proposal as a result of this consultation: 7 Integrate staff (and functions) with other organisations e.g. sports college or leisure trust 6 Impact on 5 hour offer or availability of a sports programme 5
The Enterprise - customer won't get qualification or have anywhere to go 5
Opportunity for more integration 4 Make savings (not staff) first 3 (Front line) activities stopping 2
Should have a strong commercial focus in future 2
Recruit and train volunteers to deliver parts of the service / have less centres run
by council 2
Do a skills audit of local centres to assess need 2 Currently provide an excellent service 2 Possible redundancy 1 Staff upheaval 1
Negative impact 1 Not in a position to say 1 Reduce staff 1 Generate income through sponsorship 1
Council should consider strategic delivery only 1
Large team, needs strong management 1 Should be sport focussed to maximise engagement and participation 1 Services provide health benefits and this is 1 Impact on health of Bolton residents 1
no impact for (responding) organisation 1 Remove duplication of services e.g. volunteer programmes or Lads and Girls Club, Bolton Arena 1 Promote services to make them more cost effective 1 Don't make so many cuts to people with disabilities 1 Consultation process not thorough 1 Services should be available to all - not just disadvantaged 1
One direct question was raised under any other comments – would there be an adult component to the service or would it be 5 – 19 only?
What changes have you made to the proposal as a result of this consultation?
Discussions are taking place with Bolton Community Leisure Trust (registers Charity) who are Bolton have responsibility to develop and maintain high quality community sport, leisure, physical activity and educational opportunities across Bolton and surrounding areas, in order to improve the quality of people‟s lives”.
The Trust‟s primary functions are to co-ordinate and develop opportunities in conjunction with other partners that are inclusive, accessible and cost effective. The Trust is managed in accordance with the highest standards of corporate governance and integrity.
Opportunities may be available to so secure some of the sports development function and provide employment opportunities.
Discussion are also taking place with NHS Bolton regarding future partnership working and the support with the development of the Active Living Strategy and commissioning opportunities when the anticipated changes to the provision of Public Health services referred to earlier in the report have taken place.
Consultation Record
Please explain which stakeholders you have consulted about this proposal and why
This form asks you to provide details of all consultation undertaken specific to the proposal you are making, either prior to the EIA or as part of it and the results achieved
Form and report MUST be checked and countersigned by the Departmental Equalities Officer before proceeding to Executive Member (s)
Officer Responsible:
(Signature, Print Name and Contact No.)
Departmental Equalities Lead Officer:
(Signature, Print Name and Contact No.)
APPENDIX 6: Health Impact Assessment.
Health Impact Assessment Toolkit
Section 1: Background and context Title of proposal being screened Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Sport
Date screening conducted 27th September 2010
Persons involved in the screening Julie Thompson, Assistant Director process Kath Smith, Development Manager Andy Bent, Principal Officer (Strategy & Performance)
What stage of the development is Final report out to consultation with staff and stakeholders the proposal at
Briefly outline the proposal As part of the overall Council/Children‟s Services departmental budget reductions, improved delivery and outcomes for young people the Positive Contribution Division has been set a target to find budget saving and efficiencies of £405.5k for 2011/12 and this report shows how £355.5k saving could be achieved. A further report outlining the remaining £50k saving will be presented in a later report. In order to meet the required savings a number of approaches are needed including: Reduction of management Further integration of services Stopping some activities Redesigning others Review some services Includes the review of commissioned activities through the PCT - Physical activity/exercise based initiatives and training and education programmes for children and young people and adults and older people, with particular attention being given to physical activity promotion and development, inc Exercise Referral, Peer Mentor networks, community based physical activity programmes with a key focus on populations and communities displaying the greatest health education where physical activity can assist. Health and physical activity improvement strategies, programmes and action plans in collaboration with key partner agencies and organisations. Section 2: Screening outcome Delete as appropriate Overall health impacts are likely to YES If Yes, proceed Produce HIA be substantial or difficult to with HIA Report ascertain
HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT Appendix 6
Desktop Interactive Tool Assessment
Date: 27th September 2010 Time: 12.00 noon
Carried out by: Julie Thompson, Kath Smith, Andy Bent
Name Organisational Role
1 Julie Thompson Assistant Director – Positive Contribution 2 Kath Smith Development Manager, Planning Policy & Resources 3 Andy Bent Principal Officer (Strategy & Performance) 4 Director of Public Health Director of Public Health - asked to comment
Title of the policy, project or Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and 1 programme Sport
Description of policy, Efficiencies and cuts to meet local authority targets 2 project or programme
Geographical area Bolton boroughwide 3
Time period September - October 2010 4
Population Affected Children and Young People (5 – 19) - Some adults 5 population
Which of the following sections of the population will be affected?
Positive Negative No Effect Number Effect Effect of People Affected (if known) Whole Population X Sub – Populations: X Children (0-11 years) X 40,800 Adolescents (12-17 years) X 21,400 Chronically ill X Economically disadvantaged people X Gender: Male X Female X Homeless X Lesbian, gay and bisexual people X People with disabilities X Racial and ethnic minority groups X Rural population X Urban population X
Older people X Unemployed X Others (specify)
6 Health Determinants (See Appendix 1 for Model of Health Determinants)
Is the policy, project or programme affecting any of the following determinants of health? Lifestyle – Leisure activity
In the final column indicate the risk of the impact, is it: Definite (D) Probable (P) Speculative (S)
Personal/family circumstances Positive Negative No Risk of Impact and lifestyle Effect Effect Effect Family structure and functioning X S Further education X S Occupation X S Unemployment X S Income X S Risk taking behaviour X S Diet (including access to food) X S Physical activity X D Substance use: alcohol, tobacco, X S Substance abuse: illegal X S substances Recreation X P Means of transport X S Safe sex X S Other (Note – if there is likely to be a positive or negative effect on lifestyle factors, note briefly in the box below what those effects may be)
Comments: The main health determinate is physical activity as a result of commissioned services potentially being reduced.
Psychological factors Positive Negative No Effect Risk of Mental health and wellbeing Effect Effect Impact Enhancing Control X S Increasing Resilience & X S Community Assets Facilitating Participation X P Promoting Inclusion P Self esteem X S Relationship building X S Communication skills X S Body image X P Motivation X S Feel good X P Other
If Mental Health and Wellbeing is shown to be having a negative effect on one or more of the above areas then carrying out a Mental Health and Wellbeing HIA (MWIA) should be considered.
(Note – If there is likely to be a positive or negative effect on psychological factors, note briefly in the box below what those effects may be)
Comments:
Physical Environment Positive Negative No Effect Risk of Effect Effect Impact
Air S
Housing conditions S
Working conditions S
Public safety S
Built environment and land use S
Noise S
Waste S
Water S
Other S (Note – If there is likely to be a positive or negative effect on the physical environment, note briefly on the box below what those effects may be)
Comments:
Socio-economic Environment Positive Negative No Risk of Impact Effect Effect Effect Crime – will the proposal have an X S effect on crime or the fear of crime?
Culture – what effect will the X S proposal have on culture opportunities
Discrimination – Will the proposal X S have a discriminatory effect
Education – will the proposal have X S an effect on educational opportunities?
Employment – will the proposal X S have an effect on: Employment opportunities? The working environment?
Family cohesion – will the proposal X S have an effect on levels of family contact?
Housing – will the proposal affect X S the opportunity to live in a decent affordable home?
Income – will the proposal have an X S effect on poverty levels?
Recreation – will the proposal have X P an effect on recreational opportunities such as exercise, social contact, cultural activities and other areas?
Social cohesion – will the proposal X S have an effect on levels of community interaction and neighbourliness?
Other
(Note – If there is likely to be a positive or negative effect on socio-economic factors, note briefly in the box below what those effects may be)
Comments: This activity links to the strategy for physical activity and exercise promotion.
Access to Services Positive Negative No Effect Risk of Impact Effect Effect Access to health services X P Access to council services X S Access to amenities X S Access to public transport X S Access to housing X S
(Note – If there is likely to be a positive or negative effect on access to service factors, note briefly in the box below what those effects may be)
Comments: The impact of this review may mean that some individuals will find it difficult to access health and fitness services.
Public Policy Positive Negative No Effect Risk of Impact
Effect Effect Economic/ Social/ environmental / X P Health trends Local and national priorities X P Local health policies X P Local health programmes X D Local health projects X D
(Note – If there is likely to be a positive or negative effect on access to public policy, note briefly in the box below what those effects may be)
Comments : Physical activity specific development plans, guidance and support to local health improvement groups in relation to physical activity promotion and delivery including Bolton‟s Exercise Referral schemes, „Move It!‟ - Bolton‟s Health Walks initiative, national Physical Activity promotion programmes, including Borough-wide action plans, physical activity and exercise development programme.
Adapted from “Health Impact Assessment: a practical guidance manual, The Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2003” Public Health Department, South Eastern Health Board Developed by Gemma Leane and Dr BethAnn Roch
[email protected];[email protected]
Further adapted and developed by Alfred V Barker NHS Bolton [email protected]
APPENDIX 7. Final Proposals.
Integration of Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth Report
FINAL RECOMMENDATION REPORT
November 2010
Executive summary:
The Council as a whole is being faced with significant budget reductions and the Positive Contribution division needs to find its share of these additional savings. These changes are driven by the need to create savings and efficiencies in line with the strategic aims of Children‟s Services and the wider strategic objectives of the Council.
As part of the overall Council/Children‟s Services departmental budget reductions, improved delivery and outcomes for young people, the Positive Contribution division has been set a target to find budget savings and efficiencies of £404.5k for 2011/12 and this report shows how £355.5k savings could be achieved. A further report outlining the remaining £50k savings will be presented in a later report.
Staffing costs form the majority of the division‟s controllable revenue operating costs. As such no significant savings can be made without reviewing and reducing the division‟s staff establishment.
In the previous review of the Play and Youth Service (December 2009) it was identified that integration of management arrangements would provide economies of scale and so the proposal is to bring together the management functions of the Council‟s 5 to 19 and Sport, Health and Inclusion services into one single management structure.
In addition some aspects of the Youth/Connexions service should be reviewed to help meet the 2001/12 savings and efficiencies.
A further report will be presented in September which details the proposals regarding buildings and further savings proposals.
It is proposed that in order to achieve the required savings the Positive Contribution Division will reduce the overall management costs, fully integrated sport, health and inclusion, youth and play into a single service, and some activities will be redesigned or deleted.
In summary:
The Head of Service posts for Sport, Health and Inclusion service and the 5 to 19 service will be deleted and a new redesigned post developed to reflect the proposed integration of the activities and services. The Sport, Regeneration and Inclusion Manager post will be deleted and a redesigned Operation Manager – Sport and Active Living - post created Proposals to reduce the Principal Sports Development Officers from four posts to two. Re-designate the use of the Play Resource Centre from a retail operation to provide storage space for the service‟s mobile resources. This will put two staff at risk of redundancy. Further develop the use of the service‟s mobile resources and the intention is to create two new posts of a Mobile Resources Lead and associated Driver. The Youth Initiatives and Counselling activities will be reduced and this will put two staff at risk of redundancy. Delete six vacant posts from the establishment. Reduce the costs of the Summer Activity Programme by 50%.
See Appendix 1 for organisational charts for both the existing and proposed structures. The changes proposed in relation to current job descriptions or person specifications are available on request.
Clearly this involves changes to staff numbers, roles and responsibilities and this needs to be managed sensitively to minimise the impact on the existing staff. It is intended that the reduction in staff numbers will be largely offset by a number of positive measures including:
The management and removal of identified vacant posts, possible because of the overall reduction and/or they have been vacant for some time Opportunities to apply for newly created or vacant posts Opportunities for voluntary early retirement or voluntary redundancy Possible redeployment of staff to other vacant posts with the Children‟s Services department or the Council as a whole
These proposals, if agreed, would form the basis for consultation with staff, unions, elected members and key service users before final agreement, with revised staffing structures in place for the 2011/12 financial year.
1. Introduction
The Positive Contribution Division within Children‟s Services contributes to the Local Authority Children‟s Services agenda of improving outcomes for children and focuses on the provision of services for children and young people aged 5 to 19 and their families by providing:
a) A universal offer of positive activities, information, advice and guidance that provides support for all children and young people to achieve the five ECM outcomes by increasing engagement, attendance and attainment
b) For those more vulnerable young people the service offers through a more targeted model based on early identification of need and referral
c) A focus on wider sport, physical activity and promotion of healthy lifestyles which are aimed at adults as well as children and young people
2. Current service provision
The Positive Contribution Division is managed by Julie Thompson, Assistant Director, and the portfolio of services currently includes (see Appendix 1a for management structure):
Early Intervention Service 5 to 19 Positive Activities Sport, Health and Inclusion Behaviour Support
Services provided are delivered at both a locality and borough wide level, and are based on a „Think Family‟ approach which includes the delivery of the following activities and services:
Play, recreation and leisure Targeted youth support Youth activity and support Sport, physical activity and promotion of healthy lifestyles for children and adults Volunteering Information, advice and guidance provided in in and out of school Development of the extended services core offer Parenting advice and support to families Behaviour support in schools Anti-Bullying Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL): Improving behaviour, improving learning
The service is provided via a mixture of: directly delivered provision, commissioned work with the third sector and other partners, partnership working with all agencies and sectors, including the Bolton Community Leisure Trust, capacity building with grassroots voluntary sector providers and supporting volunteering by both adults and young people Current Service/Team Structure There is currently a head of service for each of the four services and they all report directly to the Assistant Director.
3. Scope for review
In order to meet the required savings a number of approaches are needed including:
Reduction of management Further integration of services Stopping some activities Redesigning others Review some services
Wherever possible the intention is to maintain the professional status of job roles.
Currently there are four Principal Sports Development Officers (within the same generic job family) and the intention is to reduce the posts from four to two.
Other grade 8 posts across the service are either within a unique job family or the roles are not comparable and therefore not included.
This report does not incorporate any changes to the Behaviour Support Service nor does it recommend any significant changes to the Early Intervention Service.
Some posts which are not within scope do appear on the organisation charts where it would be beneficial to illustrate line management arrangements and hierarchy.
The rationale for the reduction in services and posts is based on an anticipated scaling back of commissioned services, short term funding and anticipated cut in grant funding as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review later in the year. However, if these cuts are not at the anticipated level there may be an opportunity to review the number of staff posts that need to be deleted.
Consultation with staff and partners is planned to take place during September 2010 and will include:
Service staff Service users: children and young people from 5 to 19 years and their families Other services – Adults Community groups and local communities Partners, ie Community Leisure Trust and Partners Members of BeSafe Partnership/Police Primary Care Trust and Health Education partners, including schools and colleges Third Sector – voluntary, community and faith Voluntary and private sectors including BOSPAA and other Youth Offending Team Others
4. Current service staffing costs
The current divisional staffing structure is attached at Appendix 1.
The division has an establishment of 277 full and part-time posts and listed in the table below are the current management and staffing costs. Also included are the associated costs of the proposed deleted vacant posts:
Posts Grade SCP FTE Value Oncosts Total Head of Sport, Health and Inclusion Grade 13 54 1 46,112.00 10,605.76 56,717.76 Head of Play/Youth/ Extended Services (5-19) Grade 13 54 1 42,504.00 9,775.92 52,279.92 Sport, Regeneration & Inclusion Manager Grade 11 46 1 38,961.00 8,961.03 47,922.03 Operations Manager - Positive Activities (5-19) Grade 10 41 1 34,549.00 7,946.27 42,495.27 Youth Initiatives & Youth Workers Programme Manager prof. range 526 1 32,847.00 7,554.81 40,401.81 4 x Principal Sports 37 Development officer Grade 8 Top 4 123,404.00 28,382.92 151,786.92 3 x Positive Activities 37 Team Leader (5-19) Grade 8 (top) 3 92,553.00 21,287.19 113,840.19 Positive Activities Development and Capacity Building Grade 8 37 1 30851 7,095.73 37,946.73 Resource Centre Manager Grade 6 29 1 24,646.00 5,668.58 30,314.58 Deputy Play Resource Worker Grade 5 25 1 21,519 4949.37 26,468.37 Youth Counsellor Youth Workers Co-ordinator Level 2 511 1 20,591.00 4,735.93 25,326.93
VACANT POSTS TO BE DELETED
1. Sport Senior Project Officer Grade 7 33 1 27,849 6,405.27 34,254.27 2. Youth Leader, Youth Youth Workers Service Level 2 516 1 24,875 5,721.25 30,596.25 3. Resource Worker Grade 4 19 0.65 17,802.00 4,094.46 21,896.46 4. Youth Leader, Youth Youth Workers Service Level 2 511 0.57 11,686.78 2,687.96 14,374.74 5. Youth Leader, Youth Youth Workers Service Level 2 510 0.41 7,960.54 1,830.92 9,791.46 6. Part time Youth Youth Workers Participation Worker Level 1 506 0.08 1,368 314.64 1,682.64
Total staffing included within the review 600,078.32 137,703.37 742,534.17
Staffing costs in relation to front line sport, play & youth provision 993,903.67
TOTAL 1,736,437.84
5. Current services non-staffing costs
Budget heading Budget Comments
Buildings 422k Includes £157k Castle Hill recharge Commissioning 440k Other operational costs 186k Including summer programme budget Total 1,048k Including Sport, Health & Inclusion, Play and Youth budgets
6. Current service funding Based on current information outlined below is a summary of the funding for the services within the division that are scoped into this review.
Budget details 2010/11 allocation
£000 Mainstream 1,363 Area Based Grant 776 Standards Fund – Extended Services 640 Total 2,779
7. Proposed changes to the service
As part of the overall Council/Children‟s Services departmental budget reductions, improved delivery and outcomes for young people the Positive Contribution Division has been set a target to find budgets saving and efficiencies of £405.5k for 2011/12 and this report shows how £355.5k savings could be achieved.
Staff costs form the majority of the Division‟s controllable revenue operating costs. As such no savings significant savings can be made without reviewing and reducing the Division‟s staff establishment.
The following changes are being proposed as a result of an agreed integration of services aimed at contributing to the overall council/departmental savings and efficiencies. The Division has already completed its integrated planning and delivery arrangements for Positive Activities for 5 to 19 year olds, including the play and youth services, as well as the integration of the management arrangements. Further work is now needed to bring the sport, health and inclusion into these integrated arrangements.
In order to achieve these savings the aim of this review is to:
Reduce the management costs and some services
Fully integrated Sport Health and Inclusion into the 5 to 19 service management Development of the Mobile Resources Reduction in the costs of the summer activity programme
In summary:
The head of service posts for Sport, Health and Inclusion Service and the 5 to 19 Service will be deleted and one new redesigned post developed to reflect the proposed integration of the activities and services. The Sport, Regeneration and Inclusion Manager post will be deleted and a redesigned Operation Manager post created Currently there are four Principle Sports Development Officers (within the same generic job family) and the intention is to cut the posts from four to two. The Play Resource Centre will be re-designated to provide storage space for the service‟s mobile resources which will alleviate budgets pressures elsewhere. This will put two staff at risk of redundancy. It is proposed to further develop the use of the service‟s mobile resources and the intention is to create two new posts of a Mobile Resources Lead and associated Driver. The Youth Initiatives programme provides sessional development activities for young people who are NEET and have learning disabilities. Funding for this activity has been affected by grant cuts and is therefore no longer sustainable. The Youth Initiatives Manager post will be deleted. The provision of counselling for young people will end. The Youth Counselling Co-ordinator posts will be deleted. Currently there are 6 vacant posts - these posts will be deleted from the establishment. The summer programme activities will be reduced by a range of measures including shortening sessions and reducing the number of days per week. Also, the proposal is to target provision into most disadvantages areas and to work with voluntary sector partners to ensure co-ordinated coverage of the borough. This will not have any impact on any substantive posts as the majority of the provision is delivered through sessional summer workers employed on “casual” contracts.
Clearly this involves significant changes to staff numbers, roles and responsibilities, and this needs to be managed sensitively to minimise the impact on the existing staff. It is intended that the severity of the headline reduction in staff numbers will be largely offset by a number of positive measures including:
The management and removal of vacant posts, possible because of the overall reduction and/or they have been vacant for some time. Opportunities for voluntary early retirement or voluntary redundancy. Possible redeployment of staff to other vacant posts with the Children‟s Service Department or the Council as a whole.
8. Staff and establishment implications
Implementation of the new service model will require a service restructure including some job re- design and some potential redundancies. The current and proposed future staffing structures are provided at Appendix 1.
Under the terms of these proposals below set out the detail of the changes proposed to the current structure.
The new arrangements will be delivered in line with the corporate restructure, redundancy and redeployment policy framework. In summary, the change process will involve:
Employees in posts that are „at risk‟ of redundancy served with formal notice of the position; A period of appropriate consultation with staff and the Trades Unions on the proposals set out within this report. During the consultation period regular meetings will be held with the Trades Unions to discuss proposals in detail. All staff will be offered a private meeting with their manager and an HR adviser to discuss their personal position, options and any concerns. Volunteers for redundancy will also be sought.
Subject to approval of the proposals at the end of the consultation period any applications for voluntary redundancy will be progressed and remaining staff will be managed through the restructure, redundancy and redeployment processes.
For the posts where there is a directly comparable role within the new structure, a ring-fenced redundancy selection exercise will take place. This will be in accordance with the corporate redundancy selection criteria and policy.
The trades unions have been consulted on the assessment methods proposed for each post. These details are available on request and will be shared with staff at final report briefings.
Any staff declared redundant will be managed and supported in line with Council redeployment and redundancy policy.
9. Posts at risk
FTE Existing Job Title Comment 1 Head of Sport Health & Inclusion Delete Post 1 Head of Play / Youth / Extended Services (5- Delete Post 19 1 Sport, Regeneration & Inclusion Manager Delete Post 4 Principal Sports Development Officer Delete 2 Posts 1 Youth Initiatives & Programmes Manager Delete Post 1 Youth Counsellor Coordinator Delete Post 1 Resource Centre Manager Delete Post 1 Deputy Play Resource Worker Delete Post
11 FTE
10. Potential matches & ring-fenced posts
A matching selection process will be undertaken using corporate selection criteria and assessment tools. This process will be compliant with equalities law and will be applied fairly. All the new posts are full-time (37 hours).
Proposed Job Title Ringfence of Existing Job Title
Head of Play / Youth / Extended Services (5-19) Head of Integrated Positive Activities – new post Head of Sport, Health and Inclusion
Operations Manager – Sport & Active Living - Sport, Regeneration & Inclusion Manager new post
Principal Sports Development Officer - existing Principal Sports Development Officer x 4 posts x 2
Deputy Play Resource Worker Mobile Resources Lead – new post
Positive Activities Development & Capacity Build Principal Sports Development Officer x 1 Lead 5-19 – existing post – currently vacant Youth Initiatives and Programme Manager
11. Posts not comparable within the proposed structure
The following posts are not comparable to any other within the proposed structure:
FTE Job Title
1 Youth Counsellor Co-ordinator
1 Resource Centre Manager
12. Available posts
Within the proposed new structure there is one new posts and anybody displaced through the process will have first priority to apply for these available post as follows:
Available posts
Mobile Resources Driver – new post
The new post has been evaluated by the Pay and Grading team and the job description and person specification are available on request.
13. Savings proposals – the following proposals provide details of how the savings and efficiencies can be achieved:
Budget PROPOSALS saving £000 Delete vacant posts from establishment 105k Delete Head of 5 to 19 Services and Head of Sport, Health and Inclusion 109k Delete one senior management post in Sport, Health and Inclusion 48k Reduce Two PSDO Posts - Sport, Health & Inclusion 76k Delete post of Counsellor and Youth Initiatives & Programmes Manager 66k Redesign Play Resource Centre – delete two posts 57k Reduce the cost of the summer programme activities and operational budget 49.5k Funding for new posts: (-155k) Create new Head of Service Positive Activities post Redesigned Operations Manager post Mobile Resource Lead Mobile Resource Driver
355.5k TOTAL SAVINGS AND EFFICIENCIES IDENTIFIED
14. Proposed service staffing costs
The integrated service will be managed by a new Head of Integrated Positive Activities under the direct responsibility of the Assistant Director, Positive Contribution. One existing and one new operational manager will provide the day to day management of all the staff in the service.
To meet the changing role and to meet the efficiency targets the staffing establishment needs to be reduced in line with the budget cut. The following changes are proposed and listed below are the staffing costs for the proposed new structure, which only includes those posts that will be affected by the proposals:
Post Grade SCP FTE Value On costs Total
Head of Positive Activities (new) Grade 13 54 1 46,112.00 10,605.76 56,717.76 45 Operations Manager - Sport & Grade 10 1 38,042.00 8,749.66 46,791.66 Active Living (new) (top) Operations Manager - Positive Grade 10 41 1 34,549.00 7,946.27 42,495.27 Activities (5-19)
37 3 x Positive Activities Team Grade 8 3 92,553.00 21,287.19 113,840.19 Leader (5-19) (top) 37 2 x Principal Sports Grade 8 2 61,702.00 14,191.46 75,893.46 Development Officer (top) Positive Activities Development Grade 8 37 1 30,851 7,095.73 37,946.73 & Capacity Building Mobile Resources Lead (new) Grade 6 29 1 24,646.00 5,668.58 30,314.58 Mobile Resources Driver (new) Grade 3 17 1 16,830 3,870.90 20,700.90 TOTAL 11 345,285.00 79,415.55 424,700.55
15. Proposed service non-staffing costs
Reduction/ Budget heading Amount Remaining increase £000 £000 £000 Buildings (157k Castle Hill recharge) 422k 0 422k Commissioning & activity 440k (-35k) 405k Other operational costs 186k (-6.5k) 179.5k TOTAL 1048k (-41.5k) 1006.5k
16. Proposed service funding
Amount Reductions Remaining £000 £000 £000 Mainstream 1,362 (-355.5k) 1,006.5 Area Based Grant 776 0 776 Standards Fund – Extended Services 640 0 640 TOTAL 2,778 (-355.5k) 2,422.5
17. Implementation costs
Redundancy costs associated with the proposed changes to the structure are estimated as £72k (most expensive) and £47k (least expensive). These costs will be met from the 2010/11 budget. The creation of the new posts would cost £155k.
18. Service restructure savings
The net savings resulting from the proposed restructure will apply as follows:
Savings 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 Existing team/service staffing cost 738k 738k 738k Existing team/service non-staffing cost 1048k 1048k 1048k Proposed team/service cost (existing costs minus redeployment costs) 677k 424k 424k Proposed team/service non-staffing cost 1048k 1006.5k 1006.5k Restructure and redeployment costs (based on highest costing staffing) (-72k) 0 0 Total costs/(savings) 11k (355.5k) (355.5k)
These savings highlighted in the above summary meet the cost of the savings and efficiency targets and ensure that the authority has a suitable local alternative to meet the needs of service users.
19. Implementation timeline The proposals to the staffing structure are at this stage for consultation only. The intention is to undertake the following phases of work: Conduct formal consultation with unions and staff Conduct stakeholder communication with children, young people, families, other providers and partners Amend proposals to take account of comments made Formal approval for amended proposals Implementation of staffing structure Implementation of service redesign
20. Timeline
Initial informal meeting with staff to give overview of 15th July 2010 review via Director Briefings Approval of draft proposals by Children‟s Services DMT. 4th August 2010
Informal Briefing with Trades Unions via DJCC. 20th August 2010
Issuing of letters to staff whose posts are at risk. 15h July 2010
Joint Operational Meeting with the Unions (JOG) 5th August 2010
AD and Team Manager available for 1:1 meetings at the August 2010 request of individual members of staff. Childrens Services PDG 16th August 2010
DJCC Informal Briefing 20th August 2010
Joint Operational Meeting with the Unions (JOG) 23rd August 2010 (Agreed with Union fortnightly meeting thereafter) DJCC Formal Briefing 25th August 2010
Approval of proposals by Executive Member for 31st August 2010 Children's Services. Approval of proposals by Executive Member for HR. 1st September 2010
Formal consultation meeting with team members to 2nd September 2010 provide details of proposals. Start of 30 day formal consultation period. 2nd September 2010
Interim meeting with unions to discuss any issues 6th September 2010
Post Consultation Period
Stakeholder consultation From 6th September 2010 Wednesday 20th October 2010 End of 30 day formal consultation period. Wednesday 20th October 2010
Meeting with unions to discuss outcomes of consultation. Tuesday 26th October 2010
Staff Briefing to 'at risk staff' share outcomes of Wednesday 10th November 2010 consultation Draft proposals papers to Children‟s Service DMT Wednesday 20th October 2010
Finalised proposals papers to Children‟s Services DMT Wednesday 27th October 2010
Formal Approval of finalised proposals by Children‟s Wednesday 3rd November 2010 (am) Services DMT and EIA. Submit final approved report to Corporate PMO Wednesday 3rd November 2010 (pm)
Redundancy Selection 8th – 19th November 2010
Informal Union DJCC Tuesday 9th November 2010
Reports and all papers to Democratic Service for Thursday 11th November 2010 Corporate signoff Formal Union DJCC Tuesday 16th November 2010
Approval of finalised proposals by Executive Member for Monday 22nd November 2010 – 5pm Children's Services. Approval of finalised proposals by Executive Member for Wednesday 24th November 2010 HR. Staff Briefing for 'At risk' Staff Wednesday 24th November 2010
All Staff briefing regarding finalised proposals Thursday 25th November 2010
Staff 1:1 meeting commence Monday 29th November 2010
Stakeholder briefings. From Monday 29th November 2010
Selection Interviews for new structure. From Monday 6th December 2010
Redundancy letters/notices issued and the right to w/c 13th December 2010 with effect from appeal served. 31st December 2010 Start of 90 day redundancy notice period. 1st January 2011
End of 90 day redundancy notice period. 31st March 2011
21. Recommendations
The Executive Member is recommended to approve the proposals contained within the report for consultation purposes with staff and trade unions.
22. Impact Assessment
An equality impact assessment has been completed on the proposals set out in this report. As the proposals are intended to deliver savings, there is potential for there to be an impact on services and/or jobs. Where possible, action will be taken to mitigate any potential differential impact. The consideration of impact is attached to this report.
SPORT HEALTH & INCLUSION, PLAY AND YOUTH – TIME LINE
2010 2011
August September October November December January February March April May June July August September
Corporate 90 day Consultation st period from 1 July 2010 Executive Executive Consultation Member Final Member Decision meeting on detailed proposals Implementation Planning Formal End of (Change support, Staff & TU consultation - accommodation, etc) Briefing proposals Staff & TU finalised Update Staff & TU Communication
One-to-one meetings with staff as required Appeals Panels Redundancy held Selection Process, Formal consultation Interviews, regular TU Assessments and mtgs recruitment Unsuccessful candidates Implementation of new structure notified, redundancy Formal notice letters Consultation issued stakeholder meetings Departmental Redeployment
VR / VER requests Corporate Redeployment → September 2011 actioned & exit arrangements made Employment end date, subject to no suitable alternative employment secured through redeployment
Appendix 1
Organisation Structure Charts
Appendix Existing
Positive Contribution Division - Senior Management Team 1a Sport Health and Inclusion 1b 5 – 19 Youth and Play 1c
Proposed
5 – 19 Youth, Play and Sport Integrated Service 1d
Appendix 1a
Services - Positive Contribution Division Senior Management Team Organisational Structure
Assistant Director Positive Contribution
Head of Service Head of Play, Youth & Head of Service Youth Inclusion Team Head of Service Early Intervention Team Extended Services (5-19) Sport, Health & Inclusion Manager Behaviour Support (temporary arrangement) Service
Appendix 1b Existing Sport, Health & Inclusion Structure
Head of Sport Health
& Inclusion 37 hours
Grade 13
Sport, Regeneration & Inclusion Manager
37 hours
Grade 11
Principal Sports Principal Sports Principal Sports Principal Sports Development Officer Development Officer Development Officer Development Officer
37 Hours 37 Hours 37 Hours 37 Hours
Grade 8 Grade 8 Grade 8 Grade 8
Appendix 1c
EXISTING 5 TO 19 YOUTH, PLAY MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
Head of Play, Youth & Extended Services (Grade 13)
Youth Initiatives & Programme Manager
JNC Youth Professional Range
Youth Counsellor JNC Youth Level 2
Positive Activities Operations Manager (Grade 10)
Positive Activities Development Positive Activities Play Resources & Training Manager
& Capacity Build Lead Team Leader(s) (Grade 6)
Vacant post (Grade 8)
Deputy Play Resources & Training Manager (Grade 5)
Appendix 1d PROPOSED INTEGRATED POSITIVE ACTIVITIES STRUCTURE
FINAL PROPOSED POSITIVE ACTIVITIES MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
Head of Integrated- Positive Activities (Grade 13)
Sport & Active Living - Positive Activities - Operations Manager Operations Manager (Grade 10) (Grade 10)
Development Principal Sports Positive Activities Mobile Resources Lead & Capacity Build Lead Development Officers x 2 Team Leader(s) (Grade 6) (Grade 8) (Grade 8) (Grade8)
Mobile Resources - Driver (Grade 3)
96