News / Buchan calls for “radical change”
SHETLAND Islands Council’s new chief executive has called for “a radical agenda for change” at the troubled authority.
Alistair Buchan will ask SIC members at his first full council meeting next Wednesday to support his recommendations for job cuts, restructuring and decentralisation.
He warns that failure to “embrace” change and address the criticisms of local government watchdog the Accounts Commission would pose “significant risks” for the council.
Mr Buchan is asking for councillors to back a package of measures to help the council “build a sense of forward momentum which can rapidly be widened and accelerated”.
Urgent efforts are needed to improve member and officer relations so both are clear of their respective roles and responsibilities, he says in his report to Wednesday’s meeting.
There is an imbalance in the senior management structure that needs to be addressed and he wants to strengthen what he calls “the corporate centre”.
An urgent review of committee structures is on the cards along with the methods by which staff help councillors make decisions.
To achieve his aims, some staff will find themselves redeployed to those areas “most in need of attention”.
Jobs will go, but on a voluntary basis, and vacancies will be kept open as a means to save money where it makes sense to do so.
Mr Buchan would like to see more decentralisation and will encourage people to work from home to cut down on travel costs and to support the rural economy.
He also wants seven councillors, not including the convener and vice convener, to form “a sounding board” to help design his reform strategy.
He has taken advice from finance chief Graham Johnston that the SIC is doing well in meeting its £9.9 million savings target this year.
No change to the budget strategy will be made until November after the Scottish Government Financial Settlement is published.
After that there will be “an urgent review of budget strategy”, by which time Mr Buchan hopes to have in place a communications team to help improve the council’s badly tarnished image with the Shetland public.
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