Decision details

On the 23 November 2023, the Director of Education, Early Years and Skills and children’s service’s directorate management team approved
the request to redesign the early years funding team within the early years service.
Consultation has taken place with trade unions and affected staff throughout the formal consultation period on the 20 February to 5 March 2024. There has been no feedback or objections on the proposed structure from trade unions or affected staff.
The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the outcome of the staff consultation and to seek approval to progress to implementation. If approved, the required staff changes will take effect from 1 April 2024 onwards.

RESOLVED - That:
Options set out in the November report were:
Option 1: Implement a redesign of the Early Years Funding Team with the associated redundancy of the Early Years Provision Manager with immediate effect.
This option reduces senior management in order to create greater capacity at an operational/ delivery level.
Option 2: Remain ‘as is’. This option fails to address the need to target resources where they are most needed to respond to the changing needs of the service.

Option 1 - Implement a redesign of the Early Years Funding Team with the associated redundancy of the Early Years Provision Manager with immediate effect. This option reduces senior management in order to create greater capacity at an operational/ delivery level.
Option 2 - Remain ‘as is’. Do not approve implementation and staffing changes.
This option fails to address the need to target resources where they are most needed to respond to the changing needs of the service

Option 1 is the preferred option for the reasons set out above.

Voluntary redundancy is not granted automatically. Our policy states that it is discretionary and granted on a case by case basis. Therefore, the policy should be considered when deciding whether this is progressed.
When considering phase 1, moving management into operational roles, if this movement is part of a restructure, technically, there will be a dismissal from the current role and re-engagement in the new role on new terms and conditions. Further should the new terms/role not be accepted this is where there is a potential risk for unfair dismissal. The report confirms that thorough consultation has taken place.