Council drops plan to demote monitoring officer after CIPFA review
Somerset Council has adopted a staffing restructuring plan that places the monitoring officer in the second tier of the organisation, following a CIPFA report that criticised proposals to move the role to a fourth-tier position.
CIPFA conducted an external assurance review of the local authority, which was completed in September 2024, following the Government's decision to give Somerset £76.9m in Exceptional Financial Support for the 2024-25 financial year.
The findings of the review were made public this month (13 March).
Overall, the report identified 45 key risks, 32 of which were rated the highest risk rating.
One of these risks included the staff restructuring plan that would see the monitoring officer role downgraded to a fourth-tier post.
CIPFA said the restructure "does not reflect the seriousness of the financial risks" facing the council.
It recommended that the council ensure that the monitoring officer's post "remains at Service Director level (as a minimum) in the forthcoming restructure in preference to being demoted to Head of Service level – a fourth-tier post".
It also described a plan to downgrade the seniority of the Section 151 officer from Executive Director to Service Director level (a third-tier post) as "high risk" and recommended against the move.
The council has since adopted a workforce restructuring programme, which places the monitoring officer at the second tier level.
The programme, which was adopted last month (13 February), will see the monitoring officer role attached to the 'Executive Director Resources, Strategy and Transformation' position.
The position reports directly to Somerset's chief executive.
Somerset Council is set to appoint Alyn Jones, who is currently the interim monitoring officer, to the role at a full council meeting on Wednesday (26 March). Jones is not a qualified solicitor.
The CIPFA report meanwhile said it is "likely" the business case for unitarisation in Somerset may have under-estimated the timescales over which the benefits of the new council might reasonably come to hand.
Somerset Council was launched in April 2023 after Mendip, Sedgemoor, Somerset West and Taunton, and South Somerset councils merged.
The report added that the process of merging the five authorities together with associated management challenges "is very significant".
"Indeed, these issues have contributed to the financial difficulties on the council's journey so far," the report added.
The council is currently facing a reported budget shortfall in 2025/26 of around £50 million to £104 million, the report said.
A significant proportion of this is attributable to decisions taken by the predecessor authorities to freeze council tax or set council tax increases in some legacy councils at a very low level, according to the report.
The report team said the council's financial position is "complex, and a number of key risks lie ahead" but said that the council has a "reasonable prospect" of operating successfully within the financial targets presented and in balancing the 2025/26 budget.
However, the report added that rapid mobilisation and an increase in pace is needed.
"For this reason, the review team feels there is a significant risk that additional Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) may be needed if the council is unable to deliver its financial goals within the timescale set by statute for balancing the 2025/26 budget", it said.
Commenting on the CIPFA report, the leader of Somerset Council, Cllr Bill Revans, said: “It acknowledges the inherited challenges that came with bringing councils together into a new authority. And also the continuing pressures that come from the frozen or low Council Tax increases of predecessor councils (the six-year Council Tax freeze from 2010 to 2016 equates to almost £27m less in the Council’s base budget).
“We note the report’s recognition that “the business case for unitarisation may have under-estimated the timescales over which the benefits of the new Council might reasonably come to hand.”
It added: “And welcome an acknowledgment of the savings made so far, along with the progress being made to bring spending in the key areas of Adult Social Services and Children’s Services to a sustainable position.
“As expected, the report concurs with our own understanding of the considerable work that lies ahead and the importance of further transformation, delivery of savings, managing reserves and supporting staff; and that sustainability is attainable.”
The Government agreed to provide £63m in exceptional financial support to Somerset for 2025/26.
Adam Carey