Agenda item

Context:

To seek agreement to a number of staffing changes within the Chief Executive’s Policy and Engagement service area, including the re-grading of roles following job evaluation within the Policy and Performance Team and a small restructure within the Communications and Engagement Team to ensure that it is effectively focused to deliver its objectives in the next period.

That the post of ‘Communications, Marketing and Engagement Manager’ be regraded from Band I to Band K. This post was previously titled Communications and Engagement Manager.

That the post of Data Analyst (Education) be regraded from Band G to Band H. This post was previously titled School Management Information Officer.

That the post of Data Analyst (Education) be transferred to the Policy and Performance team within the Chief Executive’s Department.

That the post of Equalities and Welsh Language Officer be regraded from Band H to Band I.

That the posts of ‘Communications Officer’ and ‘Engagement Officer’ be deleted.

That a new post of ’Communication and Engagement Officer’ be created.

That one of the current Policy and Performance Officers is granted flexible retirement and the saving is used to secure additional resource.

Key Issues:

The authority has a job evaluation scheme that is used to assess the grade of new jobs and current jobs where there has been a significant change in duties. This requires the line manager prepare a new or revised job description with the grade being assessed by Employee Services. The revised role profiles are attached as appendices to this report.

The current role of ‘Communication and Engagement Manager’ has seen significant change since recruitment to the post in November 2014. The scope of activity within the role has seen significant growth driven by a heightened need to enhance our digital offer and to support a broader organisational drive to generate income (as identified in the 2015/16 budget and the emerging medium term financial plans) for MCC. There is consequently a greater responsibility for all services to market themselves and their services effectively where the opportunity allows.

The post holder is now responsible for the Web, Digital Media and internal intranet presence. The post holder is required to have significant digital skills and abilities, including the responsibility for the social media and digital engagement strategies. There is a greater emphasis on engagement and a requirement for the post holder to represent the authority at a very high level, across all services and disciplines. This includes being the representative and face of the organisation at major events as well as through the media. Examples of this include large scale events such as the Royal Welsh show which has acted as a springboard for the launch of a concerted campaign around the National Eisteddfod benefiting the whole county. The level of autonomy and prescribed guidelines has changed. The scope of the post covers more disciplines than previously and includes marketing, income

generation, service re-design, engagement as well as the traditional communications role.

Furthermore, the team management responsibilities for this role have also

expanded beyond the original remit and now includes the Digital Marketing

Officer, the graphic designer (on contract with us until autumn 2015) and the

Marketing Officer (appointed on a two year fixed term appointment).

The role of Data Analyst (Education) was originally located in the Children and

Young People Directorate. The role has seen an increase in the level of

responsibility since the transfer of education support services to the Education

Achievement Service (EAS). For the past nine-months the post has been collocated in the Policy and Performance Team and it is proposed to make the

arrangement permanent. This will increase the resilience of support to the education directorate at a key time as the authority strives to move out of

Special Measures, it will also continue the strengthening of the corporate

centre by consolidating existing posts into a single team.

The role of Equalities and Welsh Language Officer was created in 2012. This

had previously been two separate roles and combining them provided an efficient way to provide these core functions. There has since been considerable change in the role as a result of the Equalities Act 2010 and new Welsh Language Standards. In particular the ongoing focus around the quality of engagement with those groups and individuals with protected characteristics (as prescribed in the Act) has increased both the level and quantity of the work the officer undertakes.

The uplift in salaries in the two roles in the Policy and performance team will

be minimal in the first year as the current post-holders are at the top or close

to the top of their current pay bands: the differential in the case of the Communications, Marketing and Engagement Manager is greater.

Member Scrutiny:

A Member questioned the change in structure when it was perceived that services were suffering cutbacks. The Officer answered that it was difficult to demonstrate the link between roles based in the corporate centre and frontline services. And that keeping Members and the public informed was a priority.

Clarification was requested on the role of the Cardiff University students. It was advised that with the 40% saving made by an existing member of staff taking flexible retirement, MCC would be able to employ 2 students per annum. These students would undertake a 5 month placement looking at specific project work.

A Member questioned how many hours of additional support was received from colleagues in Torfaen. In response the Officer replied three day a week between two colleagues.

It was asked why more changes were taking place so quickly after the last job evaluation. It was explained that the process addressed the equal status, differential in pay between different jobs in the past.

A Member questioned the number of staff in the team. The Officer commented that the team was losing a head and historically there had been a Communications Officer in each Directorate, this was now being consolidated.

An example of income from marketing directly attributable to the communications department was requested. The Officer was not able to provide one at this time due to the new Officer only having been in place for 2 weeks at time of the meeting. It was advised that Cabinet used reserves to employ an Officer on a two year fixed term basis and that the Leader of the Opposition had requested that the achievement of income targets was reported back to Council.

Reassurance was sought from the Committee regarding the amalgamation of roles. An Officer answered that the restructure would provide resilience within the team.

A Member queried why data collection was not handled by the E.A.S. In answer the Member was advised that an Officer was retained at CYP level due to local information collection and specific information being collected, tracking children with ALNs to ensure service levels.

As far as tracking the value of the Marketing team, the Officer advised that the Cabinet were updated quarterly regarding the process mandate via RAG status.