'Services could be impacted for longer by the loss of key staff' says Rugby Borough Council chief executive

That was the warning from Rugby Borough Council chief executive Dan Green this week as his authority’s Future Governance Committee convened for the first time on Monday (July 27).

The national government announced earlier in July that Warwickshire's six current councils – one county and five districts and boroughs – would be replaced by two new unitary authorities, one for the north and another for the south. The option of creating one new county-wide unitary was rejected.

All of the services split across counties, districts and boroughs will be dealt with the new councils with the districts of Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick covered by the south Warwickshire unitary, while Rugby has controversially been put in with North Warwickshire and Nuneaton & Bedworth in the north.

Mr Green noted in his introduction that “uncertainty of this kind is a known driver of staff turnover, particularly in some of our more specialist posts” with retention “absolutely key” to maintaining services and providing a safe and legal handover.

A report for councillors detailed how the borough would “combine redeployment ahead of external recruitment, interim or agency capacity where that best protects a critical post” with fixed-term or interim replacements “hard to attract”.

Permanent appointments will be used “where that is the only realistic option”, albeit “supported by clear and honest communication with the appointee about the transition ahead”.

Councillor Kyle Stewart (Reform UK, Newbold & Brownsover) flagged the pitfalls, citing a nearby authority that suffered from staff losses that “massively impacted on operational continuity”.

He asked whether there was any “recruitment accord” in place in Warwickshire.

Mr Green said the process had started to identify key roles and risks, adding: “I think we then need to have a collective discussion between the councils about how we approach recruitment and retention.

“Using an example, a semi-statutory role is chief planning officer – if one of us loses a chief planning officer, what are the opportunities for (councils) to work together and support each other in addition to the obvious step of going out to recruit?

“That is important when you think about the new authority and what it needs to do from day one. It will have statutory responsibilities to fulfil."

One of biggest risks of the two-unitary model is around larger services currently handled on a county-wide basis.

“I am aware that some areas that have split into two unitaries," Mr Green continued.

"We all talk about day one (for the new councils) but on day two there is generally a recruitment drive for both of them and many that have joined one of the two councils very quickly apply for roles at the second council if one is seen as more desirable than the other.

“There needs to be some real thought, not just to how we recruit but how we ensure retention in those really critical early stages of the new councils.

"Yes, we have the risk now to the legacy councils but the new councils will have their own retention challenges as soon as they’re set up.”

Meanwhile, portfolio holder for growth and investment Councillor Isabelle McKenzie (Lib Dem, Rokeby & Overslade) sought to reassure borough staff.

“This is not a job-shedding exercise, people don’t need to be concerned,” she said.

“Pretty much all of the activities that we’re doing will carry on happening. Unless you are a head of service then your jobs are going to be carrying on.

“It is much harder at Warwickshire (County Council) where they are having to split departments in half, a much more emotional and difficult process for them to go through.”