Council proposes changes to transform its workforce and give local people a better deal
Shropshire Council is asking its staff for their views on proposals to change some of their employment terms and conditions, as an alternative to cutting costs through large scale redundancies. The council wants to become more responsive to the needs of Shropshire’s residents, and to maximise value for money during a time of significant funding cuts. So, more flexible working arrangements and a simpler system of pay and rewards for good work are some of the proposals for the council staff to consider.
The proposed changes would save £7 million over the next 3 years. This is the equivalent of the level of savings that could be achieved through making about 400 staff redundant. But, the council’s preferred approach would avoid the need to also meet the costs of redundancy payments to such staff.
Kim Ryley, the council’s Chief Executive, said:
“We want to redesign the way we work, so that we better meet the needs of Shropshire residents. These proposed changes will ensure that our services are more responsive to the changing needs and local preferences of the communities we serve. Shropshire is not a nine-to-five county – our residents want to access our services at a time that is convenient to them and this is something we need to offer consistently. By changing things such as extending our opening hours, we are making improvements not only for local people, but also for our staff, by giving them a more flexible approach to work.
“We want a fair system in the way staff are treated, with greater job security and satisfying work. I am optimistic that our staff will see the merit in our proposals, and be realistic about what would happen if we are unable to implement them. We are a responsible employer – it is not in the public interest to make large-scale redundancies, and we are doing all we can to avoid them. We are managing any vacancies as they happen, and ensuring that people’s skills are based where they can best serve the community.”
Keith Barrow, the council’s Leader said:
“I am very proud of the work that our staff do, and I see every day the difference they make to the people who live and work in the county. As a council, we have made a commitment to the people of Shropshire to bring services back under local control, so that we can provide value-for-money services when and where people need them. We have also made a commitment to give priority to growing the local economy, to create greater prosperity, so it would not make sense to make large numbers of local people unemployed.
“We are facing unprecedented cuts in our funding, and I certainly do not want to place more financial burdens on Shropshire’s taxpayers, which is why we have frozen council tax rates. I believe that these proposals are the best way of both retaining our skilled staff and improving our essential services, whilst also reducing our costs.”
The consultation period to seek staff views will last for 90 days, to meet legal requirements. If agreed, formal notice would then need to be given to staff, so the changes would be implemented from September.
The trade unions are also being consulted on the proposals, and staff will be able to suggest alternative ways of saving money and cutting costs, which would also not damage service delivery.
