Heads to roll in council revamp (From News Shopper)

Heads to roll in council revamp

10:25am Thursday 2nd October 2008

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TWO high-profile jobs will go if Bexley Council's new chief executive's plans to reorganise the council get the go-ahead.

One of the jobs being axed under Will Tuckley's plans is that of Dave Berry, currently deputy chief executive and finance director, who stepped in as acting chief executive last year until Mr Tuckley's appointment in January.

Mr Berry, who has been with Bexley since 1976, is to retire three years early and will be paid his pension immediately but will not receive any other pay-off.

The other officer whose job will disappear is Roger Vandervelde, deputy director in children's and young people's services.

Mr Tuckley says he hopes no other jobs will be axed under the new structure, which he believes will be best suited to what the council is trying to achieve.

His proposals will cost Bexley £650,000, with £350,000 being met by savings.

After three years, Mr Tuckley says the cost will gradually reduce to zero as a result of the anticipated Bexley First benefits.

The plans will give a greater emphasis to "customer care", which will become part of a new directorate.

This will mean making sure borough residents get easy access to information about council services and expanding those they can get online.

The council's computer systems staff will be part of the new directorate in the hope more people will make use of the internet to get information and use online services.

But Mr Tuckley accepts there are people who cannot use the internet, so Bexley will be expanding its contact centre and making more use of places such as libraries which will have telephone access to council departments.

The new directorate will also incorporate the Bexley First project.

There will be a new environment directorate which will also take in transport and regeneration, planning as well as libraries, the arts, sport and the Olympics.

Labour group leader Councillor Chris Ball has voiced concern the borough may not get the most from the 2012 Games unless the Olympics is put at the heart of the directorate for the next three years.

Mr Tuckley said: "This reorganisation is not about cost cutting, it is about equipping the council for the future."

If approved by the council in November, the new structure will be brought in next April.

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