A Birmingham councillor has blamed plummeting staff morale for last week’s decision by the new Conservative administration to overhaul the structure and management of the authority’s housing department.

John Lines, Conservative cabinet member for housing, said the previous Labour administration had employed external consultants and managers instead of promoting existing staff and that this had left staff morale “very low”.

He was speaking in the wake of the sudden departures last week of interim housing managers Michael Irvine and Peter Redman, who had both been employed on short-term contracts.

“We need consultants, but we have many talented people in the department who may not have been encouraged to go further,” said Lines.

He said he would launch an investigation of the recruitment process, including who was hired, on what basis and by whom. The council’s human resources team and its scrutiny committee will work together on the probe.

Lines also said the decision by the council not to separate strategy and management was only temporary.

He said: “I am not closing the door on the issue but it would be too disruptive to staff to cause more upheaval at the current time.”

An Audit Commission report last Friday said the council was on track to receive a one-star rating for its housing and maintenance service. It has twice received a no-star verdict and will be formally re-inspected in April 2005.

Source

Housing Today