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South Tyneside Council is restructuring its senior management arrangements as part of its drive to be "shaped to deliver" its ambitious vision for the Borough.

Year on year reductions in Government funding have left the Council facing the biggest financial challenge in its history.

The Council is adapting to the harsh financial climate by reducing the number of staff it employs and as part of this, has carried out a review of its senior management structure.

A number of changes were agreed at a meeting of the Council's Human Resources Committee this week, including a reduction in the number of Head of Service posts.

The Council's Chief Executive, Martin Swales, said: "It is never easy to have to go through this kind of process but our overall staff numbers are reducing and it is only right that the management of the organisation should continue to reflect this.

"Those who are leaving us have made a valuable contribution to the Borough during their time with the Council. I would like to thank them and wish them well in whatever they choose to do in the future.

"We have managed our way through historically unprecedented savings of almost £20million in the last financial year and £35million this financial year but the harsh reality is that we are planning to make a further £20million of savings from April 2012.

"Our residents are telling us that we should reduce our senior management costs and keep our resources at the front line. This review will contribute further to the management savings we have made since I took up post in January 2010."

The changes involve the deletion of the Head of Service posts for Culture and Neighbourhoods, Area Management, Economic Growth and Transition and Wellbeing.

A new post of Head of Asset Management is being established to oversee the Council's review of its entire asset portfolio to assess which buildings it will retain in the long-term and maximise value for money.

Mr Swales said: "Unlike some councils, we have invested in major services and these changes do not mean we are losing sight of priorities such as economic growth, in which we are continuing to invest millions of pounds.

"We still have officers with considerable expertise in this field and this work will be driven forwards by our Corporate Director Economic Regeneration, David Cramond, who has an exceptional track record in delivering major regeneration schemes and boosting economic growth.

"We can assure our residents that we remain wholly committed to our vision to make South Tyneside an outstanding place to live, invest and bring up families and build on the improvements we have made in the face of unprecedented financial challenge.

"We will continue to invest in the Borough's long-term future through exciting developments such as new swimming pools, more regeneration to town centres and extensive housing investment."

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