CHIEF EXECUTIVE STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
This is a discussion item.
Minutes:
The Chair introduced this item and welcomed Ian Davis as Chief Executive. He asked Ian to give a brief overview of what he considers to be the Council’s key priorities for the future and asked whether his views on this had changed since his appointment, last June.
Ian Davis had met with the Leader and Members of the two main political parties, feedback from both parties was consistent.
Key priorities include:
· Safeguarding, including a greater emphasis on safeguarding of children
· Customer Experience
· Public Health and inequalities in relation to this
· Regeneration and Housing including the changing nature of the world we live in.
To deliver these priorities the organisation must be structured to ensure we have the right behaviours. Firstly, the authority’s finances must be kept under control with a more strategic and earlier focus on the budget during the year. This will include more regular meetings and more involvement with Members.
Secondly, the culture of the organisation needs to be effective by having an open and honest approach which residents expect.
Recruitment of the right staff is key, with a move towards the employment of long term staff and a reduction in the number of interim managers.
A reorganisation is currently underway which will reduce the number of managers in the management team. Following on from this there will be a review of the next tier of management at service head level, with a move away from the AD manager level. The intention is to make it clearer to see who has responsibility for each area. It should also provide budget savings.
The following questions/ issues were raised: