Agenda and minutes

Consider report by Chief Executive seekingapproval for six members of staff who have requested early retirement and voluntary severance.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Executive seeking approval for six members of staff who had requested early retirement and voluntary severance.  These volunteers had the support of the Chief Executive, Depute Chief Executives and Service Directors.  The report explained that, as part of the Council’s Financial and People plans, the voluntary severance/ early retirement scheme was being operated with a focused approach to seeking applications from staff in areas where specific budget reductions had been identified.  Six applications had been received which were supported by the relevant Depute Chief Executive or Service Director. Should all six applications be agreed, total one-off costs of £321,762 would be incurred and total direct recurring employee cost savings of £274,602 would be delivered each year, demonstrating an average payback period of 1.26 years which was an attractive proposition for the Council.  As one of the applicants was the Service Director Commercial Services and this post would be deleted, the functions assigned to that role in the Council’s Scheme of Delegation would require to be reassigned to other Council Officers should that application be approved.  Proposed reassignments of those functions were detailed in the report.  The report’s proposals were endorsed by the Executive Member for HR and Corporate Improvement and received the approval of Members.

DECISION

AGREED to approve:-

(a)          the current six applications for early retirement and voluntary severance, as detailed in table 1 of the report, with the associated costs of £321,762 being met from the voluntary severance/early retirement budget for 2015/16; and

(b)          the removal of the post of Service Director Commercial Services from the Scheme of Delegation with the functions delegated to that post being reassigned as detailed in the report.

Before proceeding with the private business, the following motion should be approved:-

“That under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the aforementioned Act.”

DECISION

AGREED under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the business detailed in  the Appendix to this Minute on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 8 and 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A to the Act.

      SUMMARY OF PRIVATE BUSINESS

Consider report by Corporate Transformation and Services Director.  (Copy attached.)

A report by the Chief Executive was approved.

MEMBERS

Councillors Davidson and Mitchell joined the meeting during discussion of this item of business.