Gravy Train - column 2 of 8

So here we are looking at the second column of the Barnet Council corporate structure chart.

A clearer image is available here.

http://www.barnet.gov.uk/interim-corporate-management-chart-23dec10-2.pdf

This second column covers the Chief Executive's Service.

Firstly of course we have the Chief Exec himself. The very expensive cheese, Mr Nick Walkley, who is paid the staggering sum of £200,976 a year. What is more, for some elections he is also the Returning Officer and gets more money. For being the Returning Officer at the last General Election he trousered another £11,038 which although I think it comes from central funds takes Mr Walkley away from his normal duties. You ought to take a Council pay cut of part of the Returning Officer fee, to be fair, in these straightened times Mr Walkley as we all in it together.

Then there are 4 senior posts in this Service.

1. The Assistant Chief Executive - Zina Etheridge - I can't share the job description with you as it is being updated at the moment. Mrs Etheridge is on secondment from DIUS ( Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills ) & collects £90,000+ a year which comes out of Barnet's coffers.

2. Interim Assistant Director of Communications - Chris Palmer - a contractor paid through Renouval Ltd - £39,312 in January to March 2011. Here is a cut and paste of the Purpose of the Job ( Hang on a minute, if it is a job shouldn't it be on PAYE - that system is for taxing jobs )

Purpose of  the Job:

• As a member of the senior leadership team, to contribute to the overall leadership, direction and management of the service in the context of local and national priorities
• To provide a professional lead across the council, and partner organisations, on all aspects of external communications ( from here on the Communications aspect of the job seems to get diluted )
• Drive the improvement/transformation agenda across communications profession and develop capacity in key areas to support services in meeting local and Corporate objectives ( aren't lots of other consultants already doing this ? )
• To be a key player within the service in a management capacity who is actively seeking and applying best practice and innovative methods of service delivery.
• To promote and safeguard the welfare of vulnerable people, ensuring this principle, culture and practice is embedded throughout all council services, including stakeholders and partners in compliance with national and local procedures and protocols,
• To provide excellent services to ensure that council overarching policies and strategies are in accordance  in accordance with the Council’s constitution, budget allocation and statutory requirements. ( yes the original does have "in accordance" twice - sloppy )
• To be responsible to the Director for the effective management and efficient performance of communications policy and strategy ( he doesn't report to a Director ? )
• To ensure that all activities across the Council are managed within the broader context of future shape ( a bit out of date, isn't this called One Barnet now ? )
• To act as a change agent to assist the council manage and implement change programmes
• To lead by example and effectively manage people, projects and budgets effectively at all times

3. Then there used to be Gavin Lambert - Assistant Director of Strategy who used to get at least £88,104 but has evidently made a strategic exit as the post is currently not filled. So here is the purpose of the job

Purpose of Job:

The council and its partners face big strategic challenges.  We know our budgets will reduce significantly over the next few years, at a time when residents are increasingly less satisfied with our services, but expect more from us; and big policy problems remain. ( This is not a purpose but a preamble: "increasingly less satisfied" - bit of a mouthful )

Our response to these challenges has been to develop the One Barnet programme founded on three principles:  developing a new relationship with our citizens, working collectively across the public and third sectors in Barnet and delivering a relentless focus on efficiency. ( more pointless waffle which hasn't yet led to any concrete improvements )

The postholder has a central role to play in supporting the Assistant Chief Executive to shape and drive delivery of this transformation programme, whilst ensuring the delivery of existing services.   ( no wonder the job can be left unfilled )

4. Then finally in this column we have Richard Grice the Assistant Director of Customer Services ( & Libraries depending on which bit of Barnet Council paper you read ). He gets £104,673 for the following job. This time it is headed "Purpose of the Role" - no consistency at Barnet it would seem.

·        As a member of the senior leadership team, to contribute to the overall leadership, direction and management of the service in the context of local and national priorities

·        To provide a professional lead across the service on Customer Services

·        Drive the improvement/transformation agenda within the service and develop capacity in key areas to support services in meeting local and Corporate objectives

·        To be a key player within the service in a management capacity who is actively seeking and applying best practice and innovative methods of service delivery.

·        To promote and safeguard the welfare of vulnerable people, ensuring this principle, culture and practice is embedded throughout all Council services, including stakeholders and partners in compliance with national and local procedures and protocols,

·        To provide excellent services to ensure high quality (internal and external) customer services in accordance with the Council’s constitution and policies, budget allocation and statutory requirements.

·        To be responsible to the Director for the effective management and efficient performance of people, processes and use of resources within the service

·        To ensure that all activities across the Council are managed within the broader context of future shape

·        To act as a change agent to assist the Council manage and implement change programmes

To lead by example and effectively manage people, projects and budgets effectively at all times

Now if I didn't know better I would think that I had read this waffle somewhere before - on yes, higher up the page. Do you, dear reader, have any real idea what is done for over £100,000 p.a. No, nor me.

So there we are, just 5 people, that's all they are, just 5 human beings and between them they pocket at least £639,000. Its obscene isn't it.

And there are 6 more columns of the corporate structure chart still to go. 

Yours frugally


Mr Mustard