Management Information Sheet
Staffing Adjustment Clinics
Each year, schools are tasked with examining their budget position and have to consider whether or not they will need to make adjustments to staffing in the light of projected budget deficits. In order to provide support for headteachers at an early stage of the staffing adjustment process, the Employee Relations team will be running staffing adjustment clinics for Headteachers - see dates below. At these clinics, we will outline the critical elements of the staffing adjustment process and in particular, those stages that need to be managed by Headteachers and governing bodies at an early stage.
From September 2011, the process will include a strict requirement to assess proposed staffing adjustments to determine whether or not the Local Authority will support the school with any resulting redundancy (and related) costs. This is part of the County Council's drive to bring down costs. Only those schools which need to make staffing reductions to recover a significant projected deficit budget situation will receive support with redundancy (and associated) costs. A school wishing to restructure its staffing, where a significant anticipated budget deficit is not evident, may still have sufficient grounds to make changes but the Governing Body will need to make budget provision for any potential costs (redundancy, safeguarding, early retirement) to come from its own budget.
The process includes a number of new requirements, specifically:-
(1) The Governing Body will need to be very clear about its current and projected budget position. It will need to provide evidence from governing body minutes to confirm the precise budget position that has been used as the basis for subsequent discussion and decision making on the proposals for change. It should include a copy of the three year budget plan mirroring the figures recorded in the minutes.
(2) Review of the evidence regarding the financial position - a manager from the Children's Services School Finance Team will reach a view on whether the Local Authority feels it appropriate to support the school with redundancy (and associated) costs. This will result either in notification that:-
the school will be supported with redundancy (and associated) costs unless the financial position improves at a later stage in the process; or
the school will not be supported with redundancy (and associated) costs and will receive advice on how the budget can be managed within the parameters of an acceptable level of risk.
(3) If notification is given that the school will be supported with redundancy (and associated) costs, there will need to be regular reviews of the budget position to ensure that the need for savings does not change. Such reviews will need to be carried out:-
as part of the normal termly budget review process;
once the new year budget settlement is known;
once the final agreed year - end financial position is known; and
just prior to any formal hearing or meeting from which redundancy (and associated) costs may arise.
The process is similar to previous years, but there is a significant emphasis on financial review, in order that support with redundancy and associated costs is given only to those schools with a significant projected budget deficit. In addition, there have been changes to the range of voluntary options that are available to staff in a redundancy situation.
It is important that schools are aware that compulsory changes to staffing are only likely to be achievable for September 2012 if the consultation begins by the end of February 2012 at the latest. If consultation starts after then, it may not be possible to achieve the planned reductions in time for September 2012 because of the requirements of the staffing adjustment procedure and the need to serve notice.
Click here to view an overview of staffing adjustments process in schools.
Headteachers are invited to attend one of the staffing adjustment clinics listed below. Ali Fiddy and Carole Human, Employee Relations Senior HR Consultants will be available to meet you individually for a one hour discussion on the process and the necessary preparation at an early stage. Please book a slot by emailing Jackie Williamson by clicking here.
5th December 2011 - County Hall, Norwich
12th December 2011 - County Hall, Norwich
9th January 2012 - Priory House, Kings Lynn
From September 2011, the process will include a strict requirement to assess proposed staffing adjustments to determine whether or not the Local Authority will support the school with any resulting redundancy (and related) costs. This is part of the County Council's drive to bring down costs. Only those schools which need to make staffing reductions to recover a significant projected deficit budget situation will receive support with redundancy (and associated) costs. A school wishing to restructure its staffing, where a significant anticipated budget deficit is not evident, may still have sufficient grounds to make changes but the Governing Body will need to make budget provision for any potential costs (redundancy, safeguarding, early retirement) to come from its own budget.
The process includes a number of new requirements, specifically:-
(1) The Governing Body will need to be very clear about its current and projected budget position. It will need to provide evidence from governing body minutes to confirm the precise budget position that has been used as the basis for subsequent discussion and decision making on the proposals for change. It should include a copy of the three year budget plan mirroring the figures recorded in the minutes.
(2) Review of the evidence regarding the financial position - a manager from the Children's Services School Finance Team will reach a view on whether the Local Authority feels it appropriate to support the school with redundancy (and associated) costs. This will result either in notification that:-
(3) If notification is given that the school will be supported with redundancy (and associated) costs, there will need to be regular reviews of the budget position to ensure that the need for savings does not change. Such reviews will need to be carried out:-
The process is similar to previous years, but there is a significant emphasis on financial review, in order that support with redundancy and associated costs is given only to those schools with a significant projected budget deficit. In addition, there have been changes to the range of voluntary options that are available to staff in a redundancy situation.
It is important that schools are aware that compulsory changes to staffing are only likely to be achievable for September 2012 if the consultation begins by the end of February 2012 at the latest. If consultation starts after then, it may not be possible to achieve the planned reductions in time for September 2012 because of the requirements of the staffing adjustment procedure and the need to serve notice.
Click here to view an overview of staffing adjustments process in schools.
Headteachers are invited to attend one of the staffing adjustment clinics listed below. Ali Fiddy and Carole Human, Employee Relations Senior HR Consultants will be available to meet you individually for a one hour discussion on the process and the necessary preparation at an early stage. Please book a slot by emailing Jackie Williamson by clicking here.
5th December 2011 - County Hall, Norwich
12th December 2011 - County Hall, Norwich
9th January 2012 - Priory House, Kings Lynn