Ramblings of a Chief Executive

1. Ramblings of a Chief Executive Paul Lankester February 2012

2. Agenda • The Journey • The Role as I thought • Learning by Experience • Managing the Pressures • Case Study- Future Management • Case Study-Management Restructure • Case Study- Budget and Financial Strategy • The role now • Future Challenges

3. The Journey • Environmental Health graduate • Six years after qualifying- Head of Service • Three years later Deputy Director • Four years later Interview Feedback • One year later Director • Four years later- Stratford chose me, OS! • Ten years later still there……. • Overall very lucky, right time right place.

4. The Role as I thought • Head of Paid Service • Returning Officer • Principal Policy Adviser • Staff engagement • Serving all the Council • Partnership working • Developing structure • Developing culture • Getting my views to happen

5. Learning by Experience • Others expectations • Undermining behaviours • Staff’s expectations • Members’ changing views • The time it takes to get things done • Using opportunities • Managing reputation • Budgets • Redundancies • Same party, different leader

6. Managing the pressures • Too many hours • The press • Drink • Sport • Lunch time • Work home life balance • Tourette’s room • Bouncing back • Always remember tomorrow’s another day!

7. The Stratford Approach • Build in lots of time to do anything; • The value of the cu! • Leading not bleeding edge; • The ‘What if’ test; • Members/ officers together; • Getting the best and most from staff.

8. Future Management • November 2009- draft for consultation; • February 2010- approved three transformation strands; • People • Assets and Resources • Infrastructure and Processes • June 2010- Action Plan • Strategic alliance.

9. Management Restructure • Part of the Future Management and Leadership Paper-February 2010; • Financially driven- CSR considered; • Review requested following decision not to proceed with senior management merger with Warwick DC; • Staff consultation welcomed and quality of response complimented.

10. Management Restructure • Four options considered; • Decided on:- • Option 4- Chief Executive & six Heads of Service; • Statutory Officer roles of Chief Finance Officer and Monitoring Officer to be at Head of Service level; • Use of consultants to assist selection process; • Implementation date by 31 March 2011 • Actually did it by January 2011!

11. Budget and Financial Strategy • Comprehensive Spending Review • 7.1% reduction in grant for four years; • 0% tax increase 2011/12- reward; • No actual figures for SDC until December 2010 • So where did that leave the Council?

12. Case Study-Budget and Financial Strategy

13. Budget and Financial Strategy • Savings up front- 45 fte’s lost from 295 • Hierarchy of savings • Prioritisation or salami slicing? • Use of new homes bonus and council tax grant • Published Savings Plan • New Corporate Strategy • 2012/13- 1% cut in CT and no redundancies

14. The Role Now • Lawful or not? • Hands off or on • Day Care • Building a sustainable Stratford DC plc • Take the hassle, deliver the goods • Value for money and performance • HR/ Elections/ PR • Staff, residents, visitors and members happy

15. Future Challenges • Big Society and Localism- the ‘p’ word! • Resource Review • Business and enterprise- rebuilding the economy • Sourcing strategy • Police and Health Reform Agendas • Capacity and managing risk • Expectations from everyone/ Reputation • Keeping going among the fat cat/non-job talk

16. Summary • Taking people with you essential in planning for change; • The Work-life Balance; • Learning from everyone and all cu’s; • Best politician in the Council but never say you are!; • Future challenges.

17. Over to you- questions and comments