COUNCIL PROMISES JOB FOR LIFE - IF YOU'RE FLEXIBLE

10-08-2007

Birmingham Council's chief executive Stephen Hughes has confirmed that staff in Europe's largest local authority effectively have a job for life - but only if they are willing to be flexible.

Hughes comments came during a wide-ranging briefing about a new business transformation programme - which other media have suggested could lead to the loss of 1,000 jobs.

He rubbished those claims, but insisted that working practices had to change in light of modern technology.

That means, he said, that people whose job "is pushing paper from A to B" would have to find a new role, because many of traditional "back office" functions are now computerised.

The Council is investing £140 in a "Transformation Programme" which it claims will yield savings of £827 million.

Other changes include a shake up of Neighbourhood Offices - they'll be superseded by new constituency hubs designed to make it easier to access information - and a reduction in the number of Council offices from 55 to 9.

More workers will be helped to work at home and there will be an increased emphasis on "hot desking" with an end to the idea of "one person, one desk".

It is Hughes views on job security which are the most interesting though.

He explained that with 7,000 employees leaving annually from a workforce of 55,000 people, there is plenty of room to absorb staff whose roles were no longer relevant.

"There is no need for anyone not to have useful employment at the Council" he said.

"What I won't compromise on is that they have to recognise their job will change.

"What we can't have is a situation where every one of our 55,000 employees has a job description that's not going to change for 40 years."