Charlie set to tear down another tier

FURTHER proposals to slim-down Oldham Council’s senior management structure will be considered by cabinet today.

The number of second tier posts could be slashed from 28 to 17 to save at least £650,000.

Chief executive Charlie Parker has already cut the most senior tier of officers from five executive director posts to three to save £200,000.

His latest report proposes new assistant executive director posts, each responsible for improving services in key areas including children’s services, services to vulnerable adults, housing, regeneration and customer services.

They would report to the new assistant chief executive and three new executive directors responsible for people, communities and society; economy, places and skills; and performance, capacity and services.

The council says the proposals are aimed at strengthening leadership, improving services, and providing better value for money.

The council is trying to ensure less money is spent on management and more on front-line services, to break down barriers between departments and make the council more efficient.

The council has already agreed proposals to reduce layers of management to a maximum of five.

Council leader, Councillor Howard Sykes, said: “We want Oldham to be up there with the best local authorities in the country and the changes we are proposing will help us to achieve this ambition.

“Our focus is on delivering better services to the people of Oldham and the new slimmed-down structure, based on themes rather than services, reflects that.

“The proposed changes are also aimed at making sure that our priorities better reflect those of Oldham’s citizens and businesses and ensuring that our departments work more closely together to deliver better services.”

The executive directors will be in their posts by Easter and include Veronica Jackson, Oldham’s former executive director for adult and community services who has taken up the new post responsible for people, communities and society.

Elaine McLean joins from Stockport Council to take up the post for economy, places and skills.

Emma Alexander, from Trafford Council, will become the new executive director for performance, capacity and services; and Carolyn Wilkins, the chief executive of Rossendale Council, has been appointed to the new post of assistant chief executive and will be responsible for corporate policy, external partnerships and communications and marketing.