The local authority plans to make annual savings of more than £300,000 by cutting the number of its chief officers.
A document entitled ‘Building Ambition – a blueprint for a 21st century council’ reveals proposals drawn up by Perth and Kinross Council to streamline its council chiefs.
It states the council has made savings of more than £925,000 since 2008/09 by cutting a third of top posts.
The report outlines that the council now plans to reduce two chief officer posts along with a single-status job.
Bernadette Malone, Perth and Kinross Council’s chief executive, has penned the document in which she sets out the reasons behind the proposed move.
“In June 2015, the council’s strategic policy and resources committee approved a phased approach to reshaping senior management arrangements as set out in ‘Building Ambition – a blueprint for a 21st century council’,” her report says.
She explains this blueprint was set against a backdrop of significant changes emanating from financial pressures, new legislation, increasing service demand, new technology and automation and greater focus on tackling inequality.
In her report, Ms Malone adds: “In 2015, it was recognised that the pace and extent of change facing public services remained challenging and as such senior management resources would need to be further reviewed and realigned to meet emerging challenges.
“A two-year transition plan set out by the council reshaped senior management arrangements as part of a bigger cultural change programme plan. It also allowed for a more streamlined structure.”
The proposed revised senior management structure will now comprise the chief executive, depute chief executive, two executive directors and the chief officer of the health and social care partnership.
The current structure consists of the chief executive, senior depute chief executive, depute chief executive, interim director of housing and safety, chief officer of health and social care, executive director of environment and executive director of education and children’s services.
Ms Malone’s report underlines that the council has made savings of more than £925,000 since the 2008/09 financial year by reducing its chief officers, and that it will make an annual saving of £300,707 if these proposals get the green light.
