Learning from Experience

Relevant Lessons from 1973 and Some thoughts on Current Process

Dessie Mitchell

1973 Reorganisation: Background

• • • • • • Macrory Report - SoS. Wm Whitelaw decision to proceed Services moving to the Centre - Ministry of Development - Planning, Roads, Water, Sewerage….

Housing transferred to NIHE; Rating Authority set up; Electoral Office created; Education & Health Boards est’d Local Govt Bill to Parliament 17 Nov 1971 - result 1972 Local Govt Act - over 70 LA’s reduced to 26 District Councils from April 1973; On 1 Oct 1973 assumed executive functions Transfer of Assets and Liabilities Order Significant Scale - Number of bodies, Functions moving, Number of Staff Impacted , Finance Issues………….

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1973 - General Approach

Interim Staff Commission (ISC) acting on behalf of Min of Dev; ISC engaged with Govt, LG, TU, Staff assoc ISC presents Dist Councils with model staff structure Transfer of Staff on basis of ‘Wholly or Mainly’ - ‘duties reasonably comparable’ - ‘Mixed Use’ issues - appeals Opportunity to apply for Govt/Public Body posts e.g. dev officer, rating officer…… Clerks of Councils – ISC invites applications from within LG - state preferences; ISC hold screening interviews, and presents new L A’s with a short list of eligible candidates not exceeding 3 persons to Dist Council for appt; Second Tier the same general approach Terms & Conditions - ‘no worse off’ principle, compensation available ‘in cases of genuine hardship’; Harmonisation left to new Councils/bodies

1973 - General Approach

• • • • • • Limited Training - exception elections/STV Communication - by circular; some briefings: ‘word of mouth’ Resources - Rate Cushioning applied for a transitional period to avoid above average increases or decreases Cooperation between amalgamating Councils to avoid unnecessary expenditure and recruitment in light of new larger Councils Meetings with Min of Dev to agree agenda first meeting of new Councils - facilitated by retiring Sec’s of County Councils Use of Consultants was minimal - it was basically ourselves alone

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1973 – Some key outcomes

Certainty: in Vision (Functions, etc) and timetable (legislative and operationally) by Min of Dev - no doubt on direction of travel Slim line structure - LG Consultative Committee (8 Cllrs & 13 Officers) & small number of key working groups - this provided a sharp focus ISC ran the HR dimensions - general acceptance - appeals procedure in place, but not utilised much Staff - ‘get on with it’ - modest direction given, staff responded Creating a new Culture - evolved post 1973 Appoint leading staff early - limited success Communication - circular, ‘face to face’ - more needed Services should operate on day one - on at least the same level as before - largely achieved Smooth Transition was overriding objective - good success Transformation - significant achievement was post 1973

Some 1973 lessons

• • • • • • • • Keep it simple and focused in central govt, local govt engagement structures and working groups, with defined tasks and clear prog Create certainty in timetable and approach; be consistent Communication key - Ensure local, open, honest decision making - have a good strategy

Leadership critical - Appoint Chief Executive;

Deputy/Director; Key HR & Finance staff early as possible Recognise the complexities of transition - Staff with dual/triple roles…. Empower the LG staff to get the job done - not too much hand holding by the centre Treat Transition and Transformation as separate early on; they will fuse later in process Manage the loss of intellectual - organisational memory

Some Linked Challenges

• • • • • • • Strong leadership - shape the future (Member & Officer) Create corporate leadership team now for new Council and move to develop new & shared organisational culture Balancing all the Interests - Councils for dissolution, and STC’s & Shadow Councils, will need effective administration - involving many of the same staff Parallel Tasks - Difficulty of delivering Transition, Transformation & ICE agenda simultaneously - prioritise & shift the focus over time Strong programme management needed - avoid lengthy counter arguments - implement priorities Create Champions; convince or leave Floaters and Blockers behind Winding Up the Dist Councils starts now and ends 1 year approx after new Council operative - designate person

Final Points

• Learn from experience and lessons of Health reforms • Talk to those you have trod the path and have the wounds to show • Refer to PSC Guiding Principles • Improve your juggling – unpacking and packing • Communicate; Communicate; Communicate

Ministry of Development Information Bulletin July 1972 - Extract

The Ministry of Development as possible…..

is most anxious that during this period of change all concerned should be kept as fully informed However, it should be stressed that Administration is a continuing process and what is reported on a particular subject will be the latest word – but not necessarily the

last word!