Lib Dems demand answers on £75,000 temporary job as services face the axe

Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council are demanding answers as to why a new job is being created in the Youth Service, paying nearly £75,000 for a one year contract, when the service is reducing the number of front line posts following a reduction in budget of over £2million for 2011/12.

In a written question being tabled at the Cabinet meeting of Conservative run Surrey County Council on 1 March, Cllr Hazel Watson, the Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition on Surrey County Council asks, "Could the necessary work not be undertaken at far lower cost by using existing in house Surrey staff?"

Hazel Watson says: "This new job has been created to manage the process of saving money and making cuts in the service, but the amount being offered for this one year contract, for a job where the person will walk away from the County Council at the end of the process without being accountable, is astounding. Service users who find their services slashed by the County Council will rightly ask whether this is fair."

"Many County Council staff are asking why this job could not be done by existing staff, many of who have had extensive experience of managing major changes in the way the County Council manages services."

NOTES:

Cllr Hazel Watson has tabled the following question to the meeting of Surrey County Council's Conservative Cabinet on 1 March:

Why has an additional post of Programme Manager in the Youth Development Service been created at a salary of almost £75,000 per annum, when the service is reducing the number of front line posts following a reduction in budget of over £2million for 2011/12? Could the necessary work not be undertaken at far lower cost by using existing in house Surrey staff?

The post of Programme Manager, Services for Young People was advertised on the County website:

Programme Manager (Services for Young People) - Ref: 1175838

Salary Range : £74,983 per annum (14B)
Location : County Hall
Job Type : Fixed Term
Hours : Full Time
Additional Information : This is a fixed term contract for 36 hours per week until 31st March 2012.
Role Description : To manage organisational risk during a period of considerable change and transition; including mitigating the risk that this has for young people.

Working with the Assistant Director for Young People for an interim period of 12 months, the post-holder will be responsible for the implementation of a new operating model. This transition involves a £2.5 million reduction in budget and considerable operational change. An experienced and credible programme manager will provide strategic leadership for the design, delivery and evaluation of structural change. The successful candidate will be an expert in change management, ideally within the public sector with considerable experience at project and programme management.

For an informal discussion about this role please contact Garath Symonds on 01372 833543.

For more information on this position please see below attached a full job description and person specification.

An enhanced CRB disclosure with a Children's and Adults barred list check will be required for this role.

Surrey County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We particularly welcome applications from under represented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.

Closing Date : 18 Feb 2011.