Scrutiny Committee
Meeting to be held on 8 April 2011
Electoral Division affected:
All
Cultural Services Re-structure
(Appendix 'A' refers)
Contact for further information:
Ian Watson, (01772) 534009, Adult & Community Services Directorate
ian.watson@lancashire.gov.uk
Executive Summary
This report details the first of two phases of the development an integrated Cultural
Services structure.
The first phase of the restructure involves senior managers and middle
management posts from the current Library and Information Service, County
Museums Service, the Record Office and the Arts Development Service.
Recommendation
The Committee is asked to note the report.
Background
The previous structure was based on four separate Services:

Library and Information Service

County Museums Service

Record Office

Arts Development Service
Each Service had a Head of Service and was managed and resourced
independently.
Policy decisions and strategic leadership was provided by the
Service Heads supported by senior service managers from the respective Services.
The LCC Culture and Sport Strategy 2010 - 2014 reflects the aspirations of
individuals and communities in villages, towns and cities across the County. There is
a renewed emphasis on building and consolidating partnerships, providing further
and better opportunities for participation and tackling social barriers, enhancing the
role of volunteers and sustaining what has been achieved and using culture as a
driver for economic and community development.
As a result, Cultural Services has to be committed and equipped to support and
develop the diverse cultures of the County, working in partnership with a wide variety
of agencies and communities, ensuring that there is a co-ordinated approach in
developing relevant policies, strategies and plans, in order to contribute towards
achieving targets and positive outcomes for the people of Lancashire.
The new structure will need to operate at:

national level

regional level

county level

Multi-Area Agreement level

district level

community level
The key aim of the re-structure is to create a more cohesive Cultural Services that
enables the different teams within it to work together more easily and collaboratively.
The individual Services already worked together across Cultural Services but this
needed to be improved to build collaborative working and to make the best use of
staff, resources and collections. The aim is to create a strong Cultural Services offer
that delivers on many of the Authority's corporate priorities and objectives.
The new structure will:

Ensure that the staffing structure reflects and is able to respond to delivery of
modern Cultural Services and the outcomes aspired to by the Corporate
Culture Strategy

Ensure that the structure is transparent and easily understood both externally
and internally

Promote greater efficiency through the eradication of duplication of roles and
anomalies which currently exist with the structure

Enable the best use of limited resources by ensuring that there is an
emphasis on supporting the management and delivery of the front line service

Ensure that accountability and responsibilities sit at the right level within
Cultural Services
Phase One resulted in the disestablishment of 52 senior and middle management
posts and the establishment of 38 new posts – an overall reduction of 27% but this
included a 50% reduction in posts on Special Grades and those on Grades 12 and
11 (Appendix 'A').
The new staffing structure will be implemented in two phases:


Phase One - start date 1st January 2011
Phase Two - anticipated start date 1st August 2011
Further staff meetings and consultation will be taking place on Phase Two
restructure proposals and a further report to the cabinet member is expected to be
made later in 2011.
Implications:
There are no other direct implications at this stage.
Risk management
There are no risks at this stage.
Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985
List of Background Papers
Paper
Date
Culture and Sport Strategy
for Lancashire County
Council 2010 - 2014
Reason for inclusion in Part II, if appropriate
N/A
Contact/Directorate/Tel
Ian Watson, Adult &
Community Services
Directorate, (01772)
534009