Information on Residential and Business Services Current Initiatives
Residential Strategy
The Residential Working Group is reviewing the existing strategy developed in 2006 and in
the process of producing a new 10-year strategy to 2021.
Leadership and Management
Roger Smith is the Director of Residential and Business Services, supported by Petra Barber,
Deputy Director and Kathryn McCune, Assistant Director.
In line with the recommendations of the catering review, we are considering the creation of
a centralised management arrangement to oversee all aspects of the catering service
throughout the University. In accordance with the findings of the catering review, an
Executive Lease has been entered into, to support the current senior management team
with the implementation of the catering services review recommendations, pending any
restructuring of the catering services staffing and management structure. The Executive
Lease involves a short term arrangement whereby additional external senior staff are
seconded to form part of RBS’s senior management team drawing on the management and
technical resources and expertise of a commercial catering company to support and
expedite substantial improvement. The focus of these changes meets the core value of RBS,
being focused on delivering an excellent customer service.
Catering Review
The review of catering services was prompted by the fact that catering services does not
meet the standards of excellence achieved by other aspects of residential services, nor the
aspirations of the University for excellence in all that it does.
We have received a final report from Ideal Catering Consultants on food production and
operations and are integrating its recommendations with the work we are undertaking on
the restructuring of residence management and catering staffing. We are at the point of
consulting unions and staff about the proposals for the reorganisation and delivery of
catering services with a view to implementing the changes over the course of 2011. We will
retain hall-based catering, including the production of food and will be investing in new
equipment to improve the quality and service arrangements on a prioritised basis. We may
however seek to make efficiencies in management through centralisation and consolidation.
There may be some staffing efficiencies through careful review of requirements against the
revised cooking and service arrangements, however an additional catering outlet will be
created within the Library (September 2011).
Financial
Q. Whilst the need to save money is understood, why not start with other costs than wages
and salaries?
We are targeting both expenditure and income. The significant elements of expenditure
after salaries and wages are utilities (water, gas and electricity), catering supplies and
maintenance of buildings / services.
We have been including within our maintenance programmes work which will reduce our
expenditure on utilities.
With Estates we have been grouping together smaller projects such as painting and
carpeting to obtain better prices and improved monitoring.
By considering the alignment of catering under a central management structure we would
aim to reduce our costs.
We have refreshed the Conference and Group Services staffing and restructured its
management aiming to improve the attraction of St Andrews as a venue for conference and
leisure travellers. To support the residential facilities we have been working closely with the
University to develop the meeting rooms and other spaces that help to attract conference
business.
Consultation
Senior staff will continue to meet with staff in residences and units to keep them up to date
with the plans and processes as they affect them. A web page will be maintained as an
additional source of information on an on-going basis. Staff who may be affected by the
changes will be sent individual letters as part of the formal process of consultation.
Trade Union representatives will be consulted over the proposals, as part of the formal
process.
Q. When will the changes be completed and fully implemented?
It is intended that there will be a formal process of consultation with the relevant trade
unions starting in March and that this will last for at least 90 days. It is intended that any
proposed restructuring and resultant changes to management and staffing arrangements
will be completed by the end of July 2011 and that the new academic year starting
September 2011 would commence with the new arrangements in place.
Student Service
Q. What will the restructuring of residences mean for the student experience?
The responses from students to the RBS residence survey and the I-grad survey consistently
rank the catering service significantly below the other services RBS provides. Despite
investment in a number of initiatives to improve this service to students, the situation has
not markedly changed and therefore consultants were engaged to identify means of
improvement. They have assessed the service against best practice within similar
organisations and have also consulted students throughout our residence system for their
assessment. Their general findings are critical of the catering service. Their
recommendations are intended to address the issues identified that reduce student
satisfaction of the catering service.
We have been careful to ensure that the proposals for reshaping the residence
management structure of RBS and the associated changes within catering services, retain
local management of front-line services – portering, cleaning and reception. There has been
close consultation with Student Services to ensure the pastoral and welfare services to
students are not eroded by these proposed changes. The savings realised from the service
review would be reallocated to the capital programmes for the development and
refurbishment of residences.