Decision details

1.  That the Workforce Strategy be agreed.

2.  That the action plan be reviewed annually through the service planning process.

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.

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.

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.

The proposed strategy reflects the national Workforce Strategy.

The council could choose not to have a Workforce Strategy but this was not felt appropriate as it 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.

The council could choose to construct the Workforce 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.