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WHO ARE WE?
The Public Service Commission was established in 2006 by the Secretary of State to
"make recommendations to government on the guiding principles and steps neccessary to safeguard the interests of staff and to ensure their smooth transfer to new organisations established as a consequence of government decisions on the Review of Public Administartion, taking into account statutory obligations, including those arising from section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1988".
LATEST NEWS
PLANNING BILL: MINISTERIAL RESPONSE TO QUESTION ASKED LAST WEEK
Questions to the Minister of the Environment:
Mr P Doherty (Sinn Fein, West Tyrone) asked the Minister of the Environment whether there will be sufficient time for the Planning Bill to progress through all its stages in the Assembly before dissolution, given its size and complexity.
The Minister of the Environment (Mr E Poots): Yes, there is sufficient time for the Planning Bill to progress through all its stages before dissolution.
In Supplementary question the Minister responded when asked Given many local councils’ grave concerns about the time available to make a meaningful contribution to the process and given the fact that the Minister believes that the Bill will be implemented, can he advise us what measures he proposes to take to capacity-build and train councillors in the working of the new planning arrangements? Can he clarify the position on third party appeals?
The Minister of the Environment (Mr E Poots): The Planning Bill will come into force, and councils will receive responsibilities only when I deal with the local government issues. Those include the establishment of codes of practice, ethical standards regime and all that. All being well, that legislation will be introduced early after the election, and we are currently consulting on it.
We will offer training to local councillors, and RICS, which is a professional organisation, has offered its assistance. Therefore, we are very keen to ensure that councillors are properly trained in those issues.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT JOINT REFORM FORUM
Following the announcement by the Minister for the Environment that he intended to take a Planning Bill through the Northern Ireland Assembly, Public Service Commission sought an early meeting with DOE officials. This took place towards the end of December 2010. Commissioners have now sought further clarification on the number and grades of civil service staff likely to be affected by transfer to local government employment. Further information has also been sought on the staff transfer scheme which will be required.
Clearly, as far as local government staff are concerned, detailed discussions and negotiations will be required at the Joint Reform Forum. It is less clear how the departmental staff transfer schemes for civil servants affected by transfer will be handled and further information has been sought on this and that consultation will take place with the Public Service Commission on any draft staff transfer schemes.
EDUCATION
Commissioners met with Paul Sweeney, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Education in December to discuss the Minister's decision to take forward an accelerated targeted programme of cost reductions in the education sector in the current year by way of making available a supporting voluntary severance scheme.
Further to this, Commissioners have asked that the PSC is kept informed of the proposed severance scheme as it proceeds.
On 11 February 2011 the Public Service Commission wrote to Paul Sweeney to request an update in relation to the Voluntary Severance Scheme.
RPA COMPLIANCE QUESTIONNAIRE
The report on the self-assessment compliance questionnaire is now available.
"All responding organisations were asked how their organisation had found the Guiding Principles and Associated Recommendations, regardless of whether their sector had fully completed the RPA exercise.
- 88% (23 of 26) found them relevant;
-81% (21 of 26) found them useful; and
62% (16 of 26) found them comprehensive...."
It was completed both by staff from organisations which had already gone through the RPA process and those who have yet to go through it. Overall the results are a positive affirmation that the Guiding Principles occupy a key role within the RPA process.
For the report in full, see RPA Compliance Questionnaire
LOCAL GOVERNMENT VACANCY CONTROL SYSTEM SUSPENDED
For the circular in full, see vacancy_control_system_suspended.pdf
COMPENDIUM OF GUIDING PRINCIPLES NOW AVAILABLE
compendium_of_guiding_principles.pdf
If you require clarification on any of the content, you should contact your respective HR or local Trade Union representative.
LATEST DETAILS ON CONVERGENCE PLAN FROM EDUCATION MINISTER, CAITRIONA RUANE...
For the letter in full, see www.esani.org.uk/docs/staff_letter_convergence_delivery_plan.pdf
PEOPLE MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN
Speech by Mr Sid McDowell, CBE, Chairman of the Public Service Commission to the LGSC/SOLACE Conference in the Lough Erne Golf Resort, Enniskillen – 9 December, 2009
"...the thing people really value is ‘face to face’ communication."
"...there is now in place a vital and necessary set of assurances governing the way our people are to be treated before transfer, at the point of transfer, and post-transfer."
For the speech in full, see PEOPLE MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN
MANAGING PEOPLE THROUGH MAJOR TRANSITIONS
The Improvement and Development Agency for local government (DeA) and the Public Sector People Manager's Association have published a paper entitled 'Managing people through major transitions' which captures the HR learning from the 2009 local government reorganisations.
"Just as people lie at the heart of local government service delivery, people also lie at the heart of successful change. Winning the hearts and minds of staff to the change process is a vital building block of successful restructuring. Equally important are robust data and systems covering staff numbers, costs, performance, contractual status and other information needed for the achievement of smooth and effective reorganisation. Finally, there have to be effective mechanisms for the recruitment, transfer or exit of staff as well as consultation and negotiation with trade unions. "
For the paper in full, see MANAGING PEOPLE THROUGH MAJOR TRANSITIONS