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Navigating Transition and Change: Lessons from Cheshire West and Chester

Explore the challenges and strategies of transitioning to a new local government structure in Cheshire, focusing on the cultural impact, politics, and organizational stability. Learn about the mechanics of transition planning, managing staff changes, and navigating political shifts. Discover the importance of clear leadership, risk assessment, and communication in charting a successful course through change.

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Navigating Transition and Change: Lessons from Cheshire West and Chester

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  1. Transition and Change Julie Gill, Director of Resources Cheshire West and Chester

  2. Transition and Change • Background – LGR in Cheshire 2009 • Transition Planning – ‘the mechanics’ • Cultural impact • Politics! • Organisational Stability • Charting a Course

  3. Background – LGR in Cheshire 2009 • Decision for LGR taken with short notice • Only 10 months to vesting day • Not the most ‘implementable’ option chosen from the business plans submitted • Elections in 2008 • Shadow authority mode from May 2008

  4. Background – LGR in Cheshire 2009 • LGR created 2 new Authorities – Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East – from 7 (one county, 6 districts) • Most LGR authorities in 2009 were on the basis of the districts and counties being merged to form one single authority • Cheshire was different because 2 authorities formed – county split in half, each new council formed from ‘half’ of county, plus 3 districts

  5. Background – LGR in Cheshire 2009 • Democracy of new organisation important • Member working groups established post election 2008 • New Chief Executive appointed July 2008 • Management Team appointed October 2008 • Vesting Day April 1st 2009

  6. Transition Planning – ‘the mechanics’ • Member training and development • Negotiations between 2 councils on county assets and liabilities, income and cost allocations • Public engagement • Area working/local communities • Organisational design and structure • Transition costs

  7. Transition Planning – ‘the mechanics’ • TUPE implications • Redundancies – 1100 posts saved via LGR process • Contractual obligations – eg 5 contracts for grass cutting! • Ongoing large scale projects eg PFI schemes

  8. Transition Planning – ‘the mechanics’ • Risk management key • Staff allocation did not tie up with budgets staff split 52%:48% but income splits 48%:52% • Assets and services not an even geographic split, compensatory arrangements required

  9. Transition Planning – ‘the mechanics’ • Disaggregate County Council Budget (Negotiated Local Agreement) • Formula Grant • Specific Grants • Balance Sheet • Capital Programme • Notional Review Budget Disaggregation • Outstanding items

  10. Transition Planning – ‘the mechanics’ • Re-design Core Systems • Revenues/Benefits (Merge 3 into 1) • Disaggregation of Service Systems (including Financial interfaces) • CRM systems • IT programmes split

  11. Cultural Impact • Effects of disaggregation on former County staff • Effects of ‘sizing up’ on members – majority of CWAC members ex-district • Effects of two very different councils being constructed in tandem • Effects of those staff who did not transfer to new authorities

  12. Cultural lmpact • Area Working – links into communities not automatic • Two tier abolition does not automatically provide a unitary approach … • … it takes more than a governance change

  13. Politics! • CWAC elections gave strong majority • Clear focus on outcomes, clear leadership • Savings of £35m in first year, improved performance delivery • BUT – not the case for all LGR authorities • Political environment key to delivery

  14. Politics! • Changes in political make up can be destabilising … • Impact of political change can undo lots of good work… • E.g Stoke on Trent changes from Elected Mayor/Council Manager model

  15. Organisational Stability • Political changes on a regular basis likely to destabilise … • Regular changes in chief officers likely to destabilise (e.g. ACPO fixed term contracts) … • PA’s traditionally provide the ‘longevity glue’ for policing … • … important to provide the stability for staff in policing to ‘keep the wheels on’.

  16. Charting a Course • Risk assessed project plan to bridge the transition covering practical steps to ‘new world’. • Regular communication with staff • Deliver as much certainty for as many people as possible as soon as possible! • Relationship building – tripartite approach vital

  17. Charting a Course • ACPO position needs clear definition • Political ‘capacity building’ will be key – even if reliant on one person! • Clear guidelines/certainty needed asap • Leadership essential through the process

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