Do you remember the Future Shape Programme Manager? If you don't, here is a reminder. North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) filled this post despite criticism coming in from all corners, however Paul Spencer, the man who eventually got the job, left in August for pastures new. He was due to leave in December.
So how have NELC taxpayers benefited from this £70K per annum post? Here is part of an article from the Grimsby Telegraph giving the details:
We were told at the time no-one currently employed by the authority had the necessary skills to undertake this work. Are we really supposed to believe there isn't a senior officer employed by NELC who couldn't agree on the amount of redundancies and couldn't streamline human resources, payroll, and the finance system? Apparently we are to believe that, and this is still the council's position. Here is what Rob Walsh, Strategic Director of Governance and Transformation had to say:
He may have passed his skills on, but it doesn't seem like Mr Walsh has received any training because Mr Spencer's deputy has now stepped up to the plate and has a new expanded role of Programme Manager. It really is just like an episode of the comedy programme 'Yes Minister!' where Sir Humphrey employs more staff to carry out a review to find out if the department is overstaffed!
Paul Spencer is now the Shared Services Manager at Wycombe District Council. I wonder what pearls of wisdom he's passing on there?
Do you remember the Future Shape Programme Manager? If you don't, here is a reminder. North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) filled this post despite criticism coming in from all corners, however Paul Spencer, the man who eventually got the job, left in August for pastures new. He was due to leave in December.
So how have NELC taxpayers benefited from this £70K per annum post? Here is part of an article from the Grimsby Telegraph giving the details:
We were told at the time no-one currently employed by the authority had the necessary skills to undertake this work. Are we really supposed to believe there isn't a senior officer employed by NELC who couldn't agree on the amount of redundancies and couldn't streamline human resources, payroll, and the finance system? Apparently we are to believe that, and this is still the council's position. Here is what Rob Walsh, Strategic Director of Governance and Transformation had to say:
He may have passed his skills on, but it doesn't seem like Mr Walsh has received any training because Mr Spencer's deputy has now stepped up to the plate and has a new expanded role of Programme Manager. It really is just like an episode of the comedy programme 'Yes Minister!' where Sir Humphrey employs more staff to carry out a review to find out if the department is overstaffed!
Paul Spencer is now the Shared Services Manager at Wycombe District Council. I wonder what pearls of wisdom he's passing on there?
So how have NELC taxpayers benefited from this £70K per annum post? Here is part of an article from the Grimsby Telegraph giving the details:
During Mr Spencer's time at the helm, £1.7-million of savings were achieved. Cost-cutting methods included 33 voluntary redundancies, 10 compulsory redundancies and a new, streamlined human resources, payroll, and finance system.
We were told at the time no-one currently employed by the authority had the necessary skills to undertake this work. Are we really supposed to believe there isn't a senior officer employed by NELC who couldn't agree on the amount of redundancies and couldn't streamline human resources, payroll, and the finance system? Apparently we are to believe that, and this is still the council's position. Here is what Rob Walsh, Strategic Director of Governance and Transformation had to say:
Paul's role was to co-ordinate a number of projects and to make sure plans were in place to achieve savings and instigate a culture of change within the authority. Future Shape is to mitigate the prospect of elected members having to make very difficult decisions about frontline services, although clearly they still have tough choices to make. We brought him in because there was nobody with the right skill-set within this area and he has now passed his skills on to others so that they can continue the programme.
He may have passed his skills on, but it doesn't seem like Mr Walsh has received any training because Mr Spencer's deputy has now stepped up to the plate and has a new expanded role of Programme Manager. It really is just like an episode of the comedy programme 'Yes Minister!' where Sir Humphrey employs more staff to carry out a review to find out if the department is overstaffed!
Paul Spencer is now the Shared Services Manager at Wycombe District Council. I wonder what pearls of wisdom he's passing on there?
Do you remember the Future Shape Programme Manager? If you don't, here is a reminder. North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) filled this post despite criticism coming in from all corners, however Paul Spencer, the man who eventually got the job, left in August for pastures new. He was due to leave in December.
So how have NELC taxpayers benefited from this £70K per annum post? Here is part of an article from the Grimsby Telegraph giving the details:
During Mr Spencer's time at the helm, £1.7-million of savings were achieved. Cost-cutting methods included 33 voluntary redundancies, 10 compulsory redundancies and a new, streamlined human resources, payroll, and finance system.
We were told at the time no-one currently employed by the authority had the necessary skills to undertake this work. Are we really supposed to believe there isn't a senior officer employed by NELC who couldn't agree on the amount of redundancies and couldn't streamline human resources, payroll, and the finance system? Apparently we are to believe that, and this is still the council's position. Here is what Rob Walsh, Strategic Director of Governance and Transformation had to say:
Paul's role was to co-ordinate a number of projects and to make sure plans were in place to achieve savings and instigate a culture of change within the authority. Future Shape is to mitigate the prospect of elected members having to make very difficult decisions about frontline services, although clearly they still have tough choices to make. We brought him in because there was nobody with the right skill-set within this area and he has now passed his skills on to others so that they can continue the programme.
He may have passed his skills on, but it doesn't seem like Mr Walsh has received any training because Mr Spencer's deputy has now stepped up to the plate and has a new expanded role of Programme Manager. It really is just like an episode of the comedy programme 'Yes Minister!' where Sir Humphrey employs more staff to carry out a review to find out if the department is overstaffed!
Paul Spencer is now the Shared Services Manager at Wycombe District Council. I wonder what pearls of wisdom he's passing on there?