Muddled Council Restores HR Role At Additional Expense

In March last year, the posts of Director of HR and Assistant Director of HR were “deleted”.

These roles were replaced this April, under the Conservative administration, with a new Director of Organisation Development and Policy.

A report to be discussed by cabinet this week, on Thursday, October 11, states “the existing HR operating model, although there have been some improvements in the last 12 months, requires further development”.

This would see the role return to the authority, with a slightly different title.

The report also states that, due to a number of changes at the council with new roles and merged responsibilities, the current HR model must be changed to be “fit for purpose”.

The current system involves a series of departmental HR service partners, who relay issues to both the Director of Organisation Development and Policy as well as their respective strategic director.

However, this is said to present inconsistencies and is less effective, with an increase in duplication and an inability to respond quickly.

As a result, the head of HR role would be brought back, and would report to the Director of Organisation Development and Policy.

Each department would maintain its HR service partner, working underneath the new head of HR, with links to the relevant strategic director.

This week’s council report on the issue states that the new role “has capacity to help deliver the staffing changes needed to achieve the budget reduction programme over the medium term” and “has capacity to support the transformational change required to become an Enterprising Council” and “provides an efficient and business-focused support service on all people management issues across council”.