Issue - meetings

To receive a verbal update from the Strategic Director (Children, Families and Adults).

Lorraine Butcher, Strategic Director of Children, Families and Adults, attended to provide a verbal update on changes to the management structure. It was reported that a re-organisation of the corporate management team had be undertaken and within this it had been endorsed that the positions of Director of Children’s Services and Director of Adults Services be merged into one position of Strategic Director for Children’s, Families and Adults Services.

Lorraine Butcher explained that this change had been driven not only by a need for greater efficiencies but also because there was recognition of a convergence between both the children’s and adult’s agendas. Lorraine Butcher continued to report on a number of challenges and opportunities that would arise from the ‘joining up’ the management of both Directorates. It was highlighted how a number of common elements along with strong leadership and existing robust processes would enable both Directorates to make the most of the opportunities and overcome the challenges.

The point was raised that the Cheshire East had appeared to have gone ‘full circle’ with the re-appointment of a Strategic Director of Children’s and Adult’s services. It was asserted that the constant changing of management structures could be unsettling for staff and therefore a period of stability was called for. Lorraine Butcher agreed that a period of stability in terms of management structures was important and it was fully expected that this would now be the case. Lorraine Butcher also explained that when the two Directorates had been brought together under one Director previously, both departments had not been in the position to make the most of the opportunities available at that time. There had been a need to keep them apart in order for them to develop. It was stated that Cheshire East was now in a position were joint working between the children’s and adult’s services would be mutually beneficial.

It was stated that there needed to be more recognition of education in the Children’s Directorate and that it must not be lost in the restructure. Lorraine Butcher asserted that whilst education remained an integral part of the Directorate, local authorities were in a different place in terms of their relationship with schools and that this relationship would continue to change at speed.

It was suggested that it would be useful if the Committee could receive a breakdown of responsibilities aligned to each respective senior manager.

RESOLVED –

a)    That the update be noted

b)    That a breakdown of responsibilities aligned to each senior manager be distributed to the Committee.