Workforce management

In the face of growing budget pressures, The Highland Council has agreed a number of measures to manage its workforce.

The Resources Committee today (Tuesday) agreed to:-

The changes to the current vacancy management arrangements were agreed today (Tuesday) by the Resources Committee, whose chairman Councillor Carolyn Wilson said that decisive action was needed in the face impending budget cuts to avoid staff being made redundant.

She said: “This action is necessary to manage the Council’s workforce and protect staff. We greatly appreciate the valuable work undertaken by agency and temporary workers but these difficult times demand difficult decisions.”

The Council is facing having to make significant savings over the next three years as the result of funding cuts from the UK and Scottish Governments.

The Committee noted that a number of posts fall into an “exempt” category due to the critical nature of the work e.g. involving front line service delivery, health and safety or statutory staffing level requirements. 

Any exemptions to the freeze of recruitment should, in future, require the specific support and approval of the relevant Service Director, who would then submit a request to the Assistant and Depute Chief Executives, who in turn would make a recommendation to the chairman and vice-chairman of the Resources Committee for approval.

The Committee also noted that there would be a need for flexibility within staff groups with respect to re-prioritising work to ensure that essential work is maintained and jobs of existing staff are protected through the management of vacancies.  The trade unions had been consulted about the proposed new arrangements.