Meetings
Capacity Planning
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Meeting: 07/12/2015 - Management Board (Item 4)
Capacity Planning
Minutes:
The
Management Board meetings had been dedicated to workforce planning, as part of
the annual capacity and resource planning cycle. The purpose was to discuss how each Service
area was planning to
address capacity and resourcing issues between now and the end of the Fourth
Assembly and looking forward into 2016, and to identify what different or
additional resources were needed to deliver service plans and the objectives of
the organisation as a whole.
Workforce
data
Lowri
Williams outlined key points from the workforce data that had been provided to
inform discussions on capacity planning. Although
the number of posts in the organisation had increased to meet requirements, in
line with the previous year’s planning discussions, headcount had remained
relatively steady. Data showed that more posts had been advertised but there
were challenges around turnover of staff, churn and backfill between roles
within the organisation. Human Resources had started to address these
challenges by reviewing staff policies and practice.
The Board also explored
issues around absence levels, which were favourable in comparison to wider
public sector organisations, but long term absence was a cause for concern.
The Board discussed how
staff made use of flexi leave and sell back and asked HR to provide the
following further analysis to assist in determining how these challenges might
be positively addressed in the interests of both staff and the organisation:
·
sell
back of leave and use of flexi by grade;
·
age
compared with grade;
·
average
year on year snapshot of flexi leave as at financial year end;
·
mental
health absence – look for other contributing factors e.g. use of flexi;
·
leave
and absence by grade; and
·
bilingual
capacity – determine how to capture skills audit data in report.
Actions:
Service Heads to think
about advice to staff about taking proper breaks (holidays and weekends) away
from remotely accessing work emails etc.
Voluntary
Exit Scheme (VES)
The
Management Board briefly discussed the VES that opened for applications at the
end of November as part of the capacity planning work for the transition to the
Fifth Assembly. The purpose of
the scheme was to: allow
the organisation to respond to shifts in skill requirements; facilitate
organisational change, including within particular teams; improve workforce
efficiency; and deliver long-term savings where possible, avoiding additional
costs in meeting skill shortages.
Service
Heads were asked to encourage staff that might be interested to talk to HR if
they had any questions.
Capacity and resource plans
Management
Board began the scrutiny of service area plans with the Resources Directorate, which
was generally adequately resourced excepting some temporary pressures which
were discussed. These included temporary resources for ICT and EFM, to support
the smooth transition of outgoing and incoming Members.
Security
was undergoing a review, including benchmarking against external comparators,
and this would continue over the following month or two before conclusions
emerged. There was likely to be a need for additional resource, which would be
presented to the Investment and Resourcing Board (IRB) once there was clarity
about what the new service provision needed to be.
Governance
and Audit had been examining its function to refocus its existing resource, in
particular given the business analysis current and projected workload. The
Board made recommendations for the business case to IRB.
Consideration
was also being given to the arrangements and future needs for events
management. A simpler and more flexible model was needed for the design,
production and delivery of events.
Management
Board noted the impact on the Front of House team where high quality, trained
staff, who were often bilingual, progressed to other posts in the organisation.
This was beneficial for the organisation as a whole, but consideration should
be given to managing these development opportunities proactively.
Translation
and Reporting Service (TRS) were managing on current resources, but future
challenges would largely depend on the priorities for bilingual services of the
new Assembly Members, Presiding Officer and Commissioners. Management Board
noted that it was important for service areas to help TRS plan their workload
in order to keep costs down.
There
were no major changes currently required in Commission and Member Support
Services, however, much would depend on the new Presiding Officer and
Commissioners.
The
Fifth Assembly would be increasingly busy for the Business Directorate, with
any change to the pattern of Assembly business, such as to the working week
having implications for a number of services. The flexibility there had been to
bring in resources to deal with pinch points was essential and welcome. The
Board agreed that a bid for further resources to support the Finance Committee
should be supported, with the increase and changes in the scope of their future
work. Increasing powers coming the Assembly would also impact on the Research
Service.
Following
a Digital Transformation workshop with staff to discuss the scope and potential
of this work, it was recognised that resources would be required to take
forward the Digital Senedd transformation work, which was considered a priority
issue. The findings of the initial scoping would be presented to IRB shortly. Another strategic priority
for the future was likely to be development of a parliamentary archive.
A
number of the business functions had been centralised with a focus on added
value work by making better use of technology.
Work
to improve the Assembly website was underway but there was a need for further
expertise to develop it quickly and effectively, including bilingual skills.
There
were no bids for additional resources from the Legal Services Directorate. The
previous year’s capacity planning had anticipated demand well and included the
recruitment of two trainees, who had been appointed the previous week.
The
Finance team had also benefitted from agreement to additional resources as a
result of the previous year’s capacity planning round, including an additional
Management Accountant post, which had not yet been needed but may still be
required. There were challenges ahead with the new pension scheme and the
change to the finance system, which could require temporary resource.
In
summary, the last capacity planning round had enabled steady and measured
adjustments to resources to match demands on the Commission. Until the new
Assembly’s requirements were known, it was not sensible to make changes, with a
few exceptions to meet short term priorities. There were some important pieces
of work underway that may require adjustments to resources next year - the security
review, the approach to events management and the Digital Senedd work.
Actions:
·
HR to provide further analysis of
staff numbers compared with the actual cost of staffing. To be presented
initially to IRB.
·
Heads to validate their financial
information as it is provided to them.
·
Nicola Callow and Lowri Williams
to produce a timetable for the capacity planning work to take place at an
earlier stage in the next financial year, to ensure it fits with the budget
planning process for the new Commission and to enable us to respond swiftly and
flexibly to the requirements of the new Assembly.