Officers refusing to track project hours

Question

I'm getting continuous pushback by what's supposed to be our project manager and office staff in our local council. They are refusing to track hours on projects, refusing to even report a rough idea to us about how much work a project will be, or has been.

There's a project that has taken a staff member two years full time. Their salary hasn't been included in the project costs, so the public think the project only cost us X when actually it's cost us a LOT more.

I believe that there are Councils where this does happen. I work in professional offices and it's perfect normal. As a background, we're based in a very remote area, so I don't expect officers to have worked in a modern office enviroment in larger cities etc. It took a lot for them to get comfortable with flexible time etc.

"is a trust issue which contravenes the Civility and Respect pledge because it crosses the line of councillors interfering with the day to day running of the council"
"it's complicated, time consuming and unpopular with the senior managers."

All reads from people who just don't have the expereince, and how haven't managed projects. I truely believe it's healther for everyone, so no one is over worked and everything's costed properly etc. We get pushback from small projects for staff being overworked, but then they come forward with their own project which is massive!
Clark is refusing for it even to be a discussion on the agenda.

I need some real work town and parish councils where actual project management and hour tracking is very normal and works well. Anyone know anywhere?

Answer 1

I understand your concern. I worked for ten years in a City of London professional firm where everyone from the Senior Partner to the most junior new recruit filled a time sheet every week. Or had the Finance Partner on to them!

I can't yet give you an example of a working setup, but can confirm that I am a member of a council where the clerk has agreed to record hours so that we can better analyse where costs arise. Administration is a large part of costs for most parish and town councils, and council accounts are highly misleading as they usually fail to pull everything together.

In my view, it is a reasonable request from a council (as employer) to have a breakdown of how time is spent. Clearly the council should reassure staff that the intention is constructive management of resources. Responsible staff should respect this requirement.

Comments

Basic managerial process...

Only reason anyone would "refuse" is if they are seeking to mask inefficiency or misuse of staff resource.

Have the PC amend or implement an employment contract / ToR / JD which requires allocation and reporting of staff hours.

Answer 2

Is this your personal view or is the view of the council?

Comments

We can't vote on the council view to tracking project hours because the Clark refuses to put it on the agenda. But it comes up pretty much every meeting, and by different councillors too.
So legally, still a "personal view".

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Get hold of a copy of your Standing Orders.  You will find a section which deals with framing propositions to be put on your agenda.  Follow the procedure and get it on the agenda.

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"Subject to standing order 10(e) above, the decision of the Proper Officer as to whether or not to include the motion on the agenda shall be final."

And that's why we're getting stuck, that's in our standing orders.

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Can I put it this way.

I was a clerk for 30+ years.

If I had blocked a legitimate motion I would have anticipated a) a reason to be demanded of me, and/or b) my P45.

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Yes. This is starting to be my feelings. The quoted two justifications were in the original post.
Giving people the benifit of the doubt, finding evidence, finding similar town/parish councils doing a similar thing with no drama. After which, I guess we'll have to decide consiquences.

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For AngryStorm - Read on to what I suspect you may find stated at 10 (g) & (h):


(g) Motions received shall be recorded and numbered in the order that they are received.

So if you raise a formal written motion and submit it in accordance with the requirements (probably 10(b)) then you will have a legitimate claim to require either that it be placed on the agenda or that you receive a proper written notice of the reason for rejection.

(h) Motions rejected shall be recorded with an explanation by the Proper Officer of the reason for rejection.

Written motions should be cross-referenced with the minute recording the vote and the written motion and formal minute used to verify any expenditure which should - but rarely does - form the proper practice of internal audit.

The formulating the nature of the business which will feature on the agenda is NOT the preserve of the clerk - the clerk is employed to ensure legislative compliance and adherence to proper practice - they are NOT employed to dictate the business, or how the business, of the council is conducted.  That is a function of the corporate whole which is the council.

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Agreed. The cited words are poorly constructed. All they are intended to achieve is to avoid interminable argument between the clerk and a councillor whose motion is unclear or inappropriate. And they are anyway merely standing orders which the council can override if it chooses, and instruct the clerk to put an item on the agenda.

Answer 3

At the end of the day, the staff are employed by the council and almost every job description and contract that I have seen has the catch all that allows the employer to add work / project to the role of the employee within reason.  If they are refusing to provide this information and not following council instruction, then they need to be disciplined and possibly sacked.  This would be the case in all industries.

Blimey, I am sounding like RoundAgain.... that's a first!

Comments

Well, you've quite rightly laid it on the line! I left it as an implication in my original answer :)