Bid to block council shake-up fails

A BID to block Warrington Borough Council’s major shake-up of senior management posts to save £450,000 has failed.
Labour councillors claimed they had not been adequately consulted and had no confidence that the proposals could be implemented without serious damage to council services.
Labour leader Terry O’Neill (pictured) declared: “There has been no consultation, no reasoned debate.
“We simply received a presentation and were, in effect, told: ‘That’s what we are going to do.’
“This review could have a drastic effect on the communities we are supposed to serve.”
The Labour group moved that a decision on the council’s senior management review be deferred to enable more consultation to take place.
But the Liberal Democrat-Conservative coalition voted the proposal through.
Council leader Ian Marks: “I am completely at a loss as to why the Labour group should say they have not been consulted. Their members received exactly the same information as every other councillor.
“If I really though what we are proposing would effect services I wouldn’t be suggesting it.
“It is a complete nonsense for Labour to say they haven’t been consulted.”
Five heads of service posts will disappear under the review – but there will be one additional post of health and social care director, jointly funded by the council and NHS Warrington.
Four strategic director posts will be replaced by three executive directors and an assistant chief executive.
Originally it was intended to axe six heads of service posts, but following consultation with directors and heads of service it was decided to reinstate one head of service within the Children’s Services directorate.
But for this change, and others affecting Trading Standards, food hygiene and Health and Safety, the annual savings would have been about £550,000.
A further review is to be made of third and fourth tier posts at the council to be implemented in April next year.