Agenda item

For Members to consider the Work Smart Estates Strategy.

Contributors:

Councillor John Chilver, Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing & Resources

Sarah Murphy-Brookman, Corporate Director for Resources

Sarah Keyes, Service Director for HR & OD

John Reed, Service Director for Property and Assets

Papers:

Update Report

Work Smart Estates Strategy Report to Cabinet

Appendix 1: Financial Implications

Appendix 2: Estates Strategy EqIA

Appendix 3: Strategy Member Feedback

The Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources, Councillor J Chilver, introduced the report and highlighted the following points:

·       The Work Smart Estates Strategy had been approved by Cabinet in January 2023. Flexible working arrangements were now embedded across the Council, with a standard of two days a week working in the office.

·       The piloted office redesign on the second floor of the Gateway office provided a higher staff-to-desk ratio and more collaborative meeting spaces. The design was well-received and would be rolled out further.

·       Four floors at the Walton Street Offices (Aylesbury) and one floor at King George V House (Amersham) were being closed to reduce occupancy costs. These offices would permanently close in the future, with an application for a certificate of immunity from listing for the Walton Street Offices being progressed. Relocation of the archives, emergency operations centre and registry office would need to be addressed as a result of the closure.

·       Options for a smaller office in the town centre of Aylesbury and Amersham were being explored to ensure availability of a Council Access Point for face-to-face delivery of services for residents.

·       The Gateway in Aylesbury was confirmed as the Council headquarters.

·       Staff were also currently being relocated from the Library in High Wycombe into Queen Victoria Road Offices.

·       Consultations were being held with staff, unions and members, and updates would be provided regularly throughout the process.

The following points were noted during the Committee’s discussion:

·       A number of Members commended the report, work of the teams delivering the strategy and the momentum of its implementation.

·       A Member asked about detailed timeframes for the project to be completed. The Cabinet Member advised that an indicative timeline could be found in the report, though an exact timeframe was not set as of yet. The Committee would receive regular updates on the progress, which would outline the timeframes for completion in more detail.

·       The impact of remote working on inductions for new staff were discussed. The induction process had been redesigned due to the pandemic, taking into account what had worked well and what processes other organisations followed. The candidate experience prior to commencing employment was identified as important. An onboarding programme has been developed with managers, providing prospective staff with workbooks prior to commencing employment. New employees were provided with a local induction plan and were also required to attend a corporate induction by the Corporate Management Team. There was also a specific induction progress in place for people working on service desks. New managers were given a corporate induction to outline ways to support their teams. Inductions were a mix between digital and face-to face-meetings, though emphasis was on face-to-face contact with other departments to develop networks and relationships.

·       The new ways of working were well-received by staff. The together survey revealed that 87% of staff within the Resources Directorate felt they had a good working relationship with their manager. All Corporate Directors focused heavily on staff engagement and satisfaction to ensure consistency. Meetings were also held regularly, which included Service Directors and Heads of Service to ensure these values were implemented across departments.

·       The options regarding the sale of King George V house were still under consideration. An affordable or market housing scheme might receive support from the planning department. However, it was important for some staff to remain working in Amersham, though this might not be at the current office space. The residual need would be assessed through staff consultation and consultation with service and corporate directors. There was also a requirement for Community Boards, planning and licensing meetings to occur. One Member was mindful of delays potentially impacting capital receipts.

·       A Member emphasised the importance of local authority buildings as statements of local pride should a new office space be created in the county. The Cabinet Member agreed that this was an important element and would be considered in any future plans, and consultations would be held with residents and Members.

·       Staff occupancy data had been collected through ServiceNow, an online platform, and through manual counts for nearly a year. The general occupancy rate was 25 to 30% across offices, and monitoring would continue to ensure any decisions were based on robust data. The Cabinet Member agreed that an extension to the Gateway may not be necessary and cost effective.

The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member for the report.