Major restructure at Council

A DRAFT organisational restructure plan distributed among South Gippsland Shire Council staff for comment before final adoption proposes significant changes with a re-allocation of departments, a flatter hierarchy, five strategic teams, re-designed manager positions and more direct communication between Team Coordinators and the senior executive.

Chief Executive Officer Tim Tamlin stated that the purpose of the restructure is to enhance the delivery of services to Council’s internal clients (Councillors, other Council teams) and external clients (ratepayers, residents, businesses, agencies, other governments).

“It’s about the sustainability of service provision into the future,” he said.

In a presentation to mass staff at the start of last week, he outlined the Draft structure proposal, which would see two Directors and three Managers made redundant as their functions have been substantially altered.

The new Directorates would be Community Services, Development Services, Engineering Services and Corporate Services.

The staff who are currently in the redundant positions can apply for the new ones, and one of the redundant Manager positions is currently vacant.

However Council is obliged to advertise the new jobs externally and it appears that there may not be enough positions to share around those who will be displaced while some of the new positions – for example Manager Assets and Coordinator Property Development – require different skills.

Mr. Tamlin insists that the changes are about service quality and efficiency, and not about either personalities or costs.

“An organisational structure alone does not guarantee organisational success, but without the correct structure, success cannot be achieved,” he told staff.

The CEO does not expect the cost of staffing the new structure to cost any more than the present one but has not calculated if there will be net savings.

He also anticipates that the changes with the cross-departmental strategic teams and coordinator roles will allow staff opportunities to broaden their skills and experience.

“I am encouraged about the amount and type of positive feedback I have received from staff during the restructure consultation process, both before and after the draft new structure was drawn up, with more than 130 submissions being received,” Mr. Tamlin said.

Mr. Tamlin’s final decision on the restructure will most likely be announced next week and as yet no timetable has been given to staff for implementation of the new organisational structure, but it would take some months by the time the new positions are advertised and filled.

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