The financial position of the council is our number priority for 2024/25, we need to create a sustainable financial council that can continue in the delivery of our services within the community.
Effective 4 March 2024, and until further notice, the council will institute a council-wide suspension on the following HR/people related activities. This applies to all positions (excluding school-based posts).
The suspension is an additional cost-reducing measure to assist in creating a financial sustainable council. As a consequence, the below staffing related matters need to be temporarily suspended and only agreed on an exception basis by the Workforce Boards:
- Recruitment
- Use of agency and consultant/contractors
- Use of casual staff
- Job evaluation – unless a new post is approved at Workforce Board or part of an agreed restructure
- Honorariums - exceptions will still need to be approved by the Assistant Director of Workforce & Improvement
- Recruitment and Retention Payments - exceptions will still need to be approved by the Assistant Director of Workforce & Improvement
- Market Supplements - exceptions will still need to be approved by the Assistant Director of Workforce & Improvement
- Accelerated and additional increments - exceptions will still need to be approved by the Assistant Director of Workforce & Improvement
- Increasing hours
- Overtime and additional hours – unless contractual
- Training – unless statutory requirement. Apprenticeships via Upskill and any internal training courses can still proceed
- Claims for expenses:
- Subsistence for meal expenses – breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Small business purchases i.e. drinks, postage, stationery, flowers, laundry and books (not an exhaustive list)
- Claims for travel:
- Travel outside of Shropshire is not allowed, the only exceptions (agreed in advance by the relevant Assistant Director) are for a statutory reason or if externally funded
- Without exception, any expense claim must only be authorised if accompanied by a valid VAT receipt