Top jobs go at Basildon Council

9:30am Tuesday 21st August 2012 in News By Jon Austin

Concerned – Nigel Smith outside the Sporting Village in Basildon Concerned – Nigel Smith outside the Sporting Village in Basildon

TOP jobs at Basildon Council have been axed as part of major cost-cutting plans.

The two executive director roles held by Chris White and Ian Woolford were merged with other positions this month and will save the council £100,000.

Four other staff took early retirement this month, although the Tory-run council will not disclose what positions have been lost.

In July, the Echo revealed job losses were on their way as the council sought to save £6.2million by 2015/16.

The news has shocked the opposition Labour group who fear lower staff levels could also see their jobs under threat.

Labour group leader Nigel Smith said: “It means an ever-reducing work force providing reduced services.

“During the next few months more jobs will be lost, making it about 100 since 2011. Even senior officers are not safe with a senior director losing his post at short notice.”

He added: “By the time Labour takes control in a couple of years, the council will be significantly smaller than it has been. “Non-statutory services are under threat. These include recreation, leisure and sports provision, including swimming pools and country parks. “Community centres and provision for the elderly and youth activities could be severely cut or disappear altogether and the services that remain could end up being delivered by private operators.”

Mr White and Mr Woolford reported directly to council chief executive Bala Mahendran , who will begin a three-day week next year, also as part of the cost-cutting measures.

Mr White spent two-and-a-half years at the council before going. Mr Woolford has taken up a new role as a commissioning director at a lower pay grade.

It takes the number of senior posts at the council down from 12 to 10.

Mr Mahendran and Mick Nice, who oversees the financial savings programme on a part-time basis, are the only remaining senior executive officers.

Council leader Tony Ball said: “This is part of our ongoing transformation agenda which was reported to cabinet in July. “This particular change will save at least £100,000 per year from the budget. The new director positions created will have a more hands-on approach and cover some of the heads of service positions.”

Comments (7)

10:16am Tue 21 Aug 12

APR says...

You can bet your life that there will be some very nice redundancy packages.

They look after themselves.
You can bet your life that there will be some very nice redundancy packages. They look after themselves. APR

11:46am Tue 21 Aug 12

E-Types.. says...

Getting rid of Mr Beach Ball would save the council upwards of £200,000 a year, if you take into account all the wages and perks etc, He can be replaced by a volunteer from the local 6th form school.

Said volunteer couldn't do as much damage as this person has done to the communities!

Claiming contaminated brownfield is green belt land and fighting to prove the point costing £18,000,000 while selling off greenbelt land to other councils and developers.

£18,000,000 would go a long way in dealing with the many issues of lack of finance that has crop up this year alone.

The buck stops with beach ball... usually in his pocket.
Getting rid of Mr Beach Ball would save the council upwards of £200,000 a year, if you take into account all the wages and perks etc, He can be replaced by a volunteer from the local 6th form school. Said volunteer couldn't do as much damage as this person has done to the communities! Claiming contaminated brownfield is green belt land and fighting to prove the point costing £18,000,000 while selling off greenbelt land to other councils and developers. £18,000,000 would go a long way in dealing with the many issues of lack of finance that has crop up this year alone. The buck stops with beach ball... usually in his pocket. E-Types..

12:59pm Tue 21 Aug 12

Ian P says...

"Labour group leader Nigel Smith said: Even senior officers are not safe with a senior director losing his post at short notice.” Why should senior officers not face redundancy? The chances are the cost saved by losing one senior position will pay the wages of 4 lower paid positions. Savings made top down has less impact on the workforce than saving from the bottom up.
"Labour group leader Nigel Smith said: Even senior officers are not safe with a senior director losing his post at short notice.” Why should senior officers not face redundancy? The chances are the cost saved by losing one senior position will pay the wages of 4 lower paid positions. Savings made top down has less impact on the workforce than saving from the bottom up. Ian P

1:26pm Tue 21 Aug 12

Eric Whim says...

send Kevin Blake down to the dole office - if he's lucky he might get a job as khasi attendent in his favourte haunt namely the refurbished Lake Meadows cottage
send Kevin Blake down to the dole office - if he's lucky he might get a job as khasi attendent in his favourte haunt namely the refurbished Lake Meadows cottage Eric Whim

4:37pm Tue 21 Aug 12

Audioman says...

Why o why
Thay all do a good job it is always the same
people who WORK HARD are always the first to go
SHAME hope thay all get good jobs
Why o why Thay all do a good job it is always the same people who WORK HARD are always the first to go SHAME hope thay all get good jobs Audioman

8:32pm Tue 21 Aug 12

gumbley says...

One obvious question is if it is a case of top heavy management at the council, what took them so long to reduce management costs. I seem to remember that the Chief Executive is to be working a 3 day week as well. If these top managers can be dispensed with now why not earlier? Surely the job of the council in these austere times is to protect services provided by the frontline rather than the people at the top. Its a case of priorities isn't it?
One obvious question is if it is a case of top heavy management at the council, what took them so long to reduce management costs. I seem to remember that the Chief Executive is to be working a 3 day week as well. If these top managers can be dispensed with now why not earlier? Surely the job of the council in these austere times is to protect services provided by the frontline rather than the people at the top. Its a case of priorities isn't it? gumbley

7:35am Wed 22 Aug 12

Deadjim says...

Wonder how much it costs to respond to FOI requests from outside the Borough every year ?
Wonder how much it costs to respond to FOI requests from outside the Borough every year ? Deadjim

Comments are closed on this article.

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