MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

CABINET

10 APRIL 2013

REPORT OF HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Report prepared by Dena Smart, Head of Human Resources 

1.           WORKFORCE STRATEGY

1.1        Issue for Decision

1.1.1   The Workforce Strategy is one of the key enabling strategies that support the Council’s Strategic plan. The strategy was last updated in 2008 and since this time both the Council’s priorities and the workforce employment profile has changed; the proposed strategy builds on the developments that have taken place to date and identifies the changes that are needed for the future.

1.2        Recommendation of Head of Human Resources

1.2.1   That Cabinet agree the proposed Workforce Strategy.

1.2.2   That the action plan is reviewed annually through the service planning process.

1.3        Reasons for Recommendation

1.3.1   The Workforce Strategy has been developed through the integration of the views of senior officers, trade unions and Members and therefore represents a balanced approach to the key issues in the future.

1.3.2   The current Workforce information systems have been in place for some time which has given robust data from which the longer term trends have been identified and are reflected in the strategy.

1.3.3   The council has significantly developed its approach to people management and has more recently embarked on an engagement journey which has not been reflected to date in the over-arching strategy documents; it is important that this work is reflected in the Workforce Strategy and that progress is monitored against the associated action plan.

1.3.4   The proposed strategy reflects the national Workforce Strategy.

1.4        Alternative Action and why not Recommended

1.4.1   The council could choose not to have a Work Force Strategy but this would mean that it was not meeting its national commitment to have a strategy and it may not optimise its work force as a resource.

1.4.2   The council could choose to a construct the Work Force Strategy in a different way to that proposed as there are many options available; however the proposed document follows consultation and agreement with stakeholders and offers significant scope for development and change in the way it is structured.

1.5        Impact on Corporate Objectives

1.5.1   The Workforce Strategy underpins the work of the council in all areas of its work and therefore impacts on all corporate objectives.

1.5.2   The work on employee engagement has a direct link to the objective of Corporate and Customer Excellence and in particular the ambition to achieve IiP Gold by 2015.

1.6        Risk Management

1.6.1   There are no risks inherent in the Workforce Strategy overall but there may be some specific risks associated with particular actions outlined within the strategy; one example of this is the work around the MKIP employment model. Where there are specific projects the risk assessment would form part of the approach to managing the project.

1.6.2   There would be greater risks associated with failure to recognize and plan for the workforce issues in the future.

1.7        Other Implications

1.7.1    

1.7.2   Financial – the Workforce Strategy does incorporate significant costs to the council in the shape of the salary budget, however this is within the Medium Term Financial Strategy and there is nothing within the Workforce Strategy that will fall outside this agreed budget.   

1.7.3   Staffing – the Workforce Strategy relates completely to the councils staff and the way this will be developed and may change during the period of the plan.

1.7.4   Equality Impact Assessment it attached at Appendix Two.

1.8        Relevant Documents

1.8.1   Appendices

Appendix One:      Workforce Strategy

Appendix Two:       Equality Impact Assessment

1.8.2   Background Documents

None

IS THIS A KEY DECISION REPORT? X     Yes                                               No       If yes, when did it first appear in the Forward Plan?   …28February 2013……..     This is a Key Decision because: ……It is a strategic document.   …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….       Wards/Parishes affected: …………………………………………………………………………………..   ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..