If you want to leave now you will be forgiven. This will be a long and confusing posting. HR are so on top of their game that incorrect FOI answers get sent to Mr Mustard and it's only because he can see through the fog that eventually he gets the right answer (possibly). It all started with this DPR
1645 - Interim HR Management Structure
Mr Mustard has the notion that DPR should make things clearer not more muddled but they often don't seem to. Here, without the truly boring bits, but leaving in the fairly boring bits, are the two versions of the FOI answer that he received:
I write further to my email of 12th July 2012 acknowledging your request for an internal review into the handling of your request for information.
You have requested an internal review of the Council’s response in relation to your request for:
I understand that Jacquie McGeachie is no longer the interim Assistant Director of HR and is working on some sort of special project for Nick Walkley.
Please tell me the nature of the special project and provide the job description for it.
Please tell me when and where it was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed. Is Ms McGeachie now on the payroll and if not through which company is she being paid?
Please tell me what salary scale applies or the daily rate paid to the agency.
I note that Sarah Murphy-Brookman is now the Assistant Director of HR (the report to the Remuneration Committee does not say if this is an interim post or not).
Is this a permanent posting or an interim one?
Has the pay scale of the post been changed in the last 12 months, and if so in what way?
Please tell me when and where the post was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed.
You have requested an internal review of the Council’s response in relation to your request for:
I understand that Jacquie McGeachie is no longer the interim Assistant Director of HR and is working on some sort of special project for Nick Walkley.
Please tell me the nature of the special project and provide the job description for it.
Please tell me when and where it was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed. Is Ms McGeachie now on the payroll and if not through which company is she being paid?
Please tell me what salary scale applies or the daily rate paid to the agency.
I note that Sarah Murphy-Brookman is now the Assistant Director of HR (the report to the Remuneration Committee does not say if this is an interim post or not).
Is this a permanent posting or an interim one?
Has the pay scale of the post been changed in the last 12 months, and if so in what way?
Please tell me when and where the post was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed.
Ms Murphy-Brookman previously filled the role of Head of Business Partnering and Change.
Please provide a copy of the job description for that post including the pay scale. Has the pay scale of the post been changed in the last 12 months and if so in what way?
Please tell me who is now filling the post.
Please tell me if that person is now on the payroll under PAYE or are provided by an agency and which one.
If paid through an agency please tell me the daily rate.
If an employee paid under PAYE is the posting an interim or permanent one?
Please tell me when and where the post was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed.
This request was replied to on 24th May 2012, the response is copied in below, and you were provided with a copy of the Role Profile for the Head of Business Partnering and Reward. You found this response unsatisfactory and requested an Internal Review which we received on 30th June 2012.
The response you received was:
Please tell me the nature of the special project and provide the job description for it. An HR consultant role has been created, there is no Job Description. Please refer to DPR no. 1645 for the detail. http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=123
Please tell me when and where it was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed. Is Ms McGeachie now on the payroll and if not through which company is she being paid?
Please provide a copy of the job description for that post including the pay scale. Has the pay scale of the post been changed in the last 12 months and if so in what way?
Please tell me who is now filling the post.
Please tell me if that person is now on the payroll under PAYE or are provided by an agency and which one.
If paid through an agency please tell me the daily rate.
If an employee paid under PAYE is the posting an interim or permanent one?
Please tell me when and where the post was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed.
This request was replied to on 24th May 2012, the response is copied in below, and you were provided with a copy of the Role Profile for the Head of Business Partnering and Reward. You found this response unsatisfactory and requested an Internal Review which we received on 30th June 2012.
The response you received was:
Please tell me the nature of the special project and provide the job description for it. An HR consultant role has been created, there is no Job Description. Please refer to DPR no. 1645 for the detail. http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=123
Please tell me when and where it was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed. Is Ms McGeachie now on the payroll and if not through which company is she being paid?
The HR Consultant role was not advertised.
Ms McGeachie is not an employee of the London Borough of Barnet
The AD Consultant role has been filled on a temporary basis through Hays
Please tell me what salary scale applies or the daily rate paid to the agency.The DPR sets out the salary scale. The day rate paid to Hays is £575
I note that Sarah Murphy-Brookman is now the Assistant Director of HR (the report to the
Remuneration Committee does not say if this is an interim post or not).Is this a permanent posting or an interim one?This detail is set out in the DPR
Has the pay scale of the post been changed in the last 12 months, and if so in what way?
This detail is set out in the DPR
Please tell me when and where the post was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed.
Ms McGeachie is not an employee of the London Borough of Barnet
The AD Consultant role has been filled on a temporary basis through Hays
Please tell me what salary scale applies or the daily rate paid to the agency.The DPR sets out the salary scale. The day rate paid to Hays is £575
I note that Sarah Murphy-Brookman is now the Assistant Director of HR (the report to the
Remuneration Committee does not say if this is an interim post or not).Is this a permanent posting or an interim one?This detail is set out in the DPR
Has the pay scale of the post been changed in the last 12 months, and if so in what way?
This detail is set out in the DPR
Please tell me when and where the post was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed.
The post was not advertised
Ms Murphy-Brookman previously filled the role of Head of Business Partnering and Change.
Ms Murphy-Brookman previously filled the role of Head of Business Partnering and Change.
Please provide a copy of the job description for that post including the pay scale. Has the pay scale of the post been changed in the last 12 months and if so in what way?
A copy of the Job description is attached
The pay scale for this post is set out in the DPR
Please tell me who is now filling the post.The post has been filled on a temporary basis through Hays
Please tell me if that person is now on the payroll under PAYE or are provided by an agency and which one.
The pay scale for this post is set out in the DPR
Please tell me who is now filling the post.The post has been filled on a temporary basis through Hays
Please tell me if that person is now on the payroll under PAYE or are provided by an agency and which one.
The post has been filled on a temporary basis through Hays
If paid through an agency please tell me the daily rate.The daily rate paid the to Hays is £532
If an employee paid under PAYE is the posting an interim or permanent one?Not applicable
Please tell me when and where the post was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed.
If paid through an agency please tell me the daily rate.The daily rate paid the to Hays is £532
If an employee paid under PAYE is the posting an interim or permanent one?Not applicable
Please tell me when and where the post was advertised and how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed.
The post was filled through HaysInternal Review
I have undertaken the Internal Review and the outcome of my review is set out below. I have processed this review request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I have looked at your original request and the answers provided. Whilst some of the information provided and answers given were correct, I do agree that some of the information provided to you did not directly answer some of the questions you had asked. Additionally, I am afraid that some of the answers to the questions were slightly incorrect, in that the answers given referred to a different post (the Head of Business Partnering and Reward) rather than that specifically asked about (the Head of Business Partnering and Change). This appears to have been caused by a genuine misunderstanding of the detail of your question. The Role Profile sent to you was similarly incorrect in that instead of it being for the Head of Business Partnering and Change it was for the Head of Business Partnering and Reward. I apologise for any inconvenience these errors may have caused.
The corrected answers and information to answer your FOIA request, with clarified numbering, are:
I understand that Jacquie McGeachie is no longer the interim Assistant Director of HR and is working on some sort of special project for Nick Walkley.
1. a) Please tell me the nature of the special project and b) provide the job description for it.
1 a) Ms McGeachie is assisting the Chief Executive with HR and associated issues arising in the current restructure of the council’s senior mangers (sic). If there was a recruitment drive we might get a better officer for less money?
1 b) There is no Job Description available, therefore the Council does not hold this information.
The post is a HR consultant role, which was has been created, under DPR no. 1645. This may be obtained at the following link:http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=123
2 a) Please tell me when and b) where it was advertised and c) how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed.
2 a), b), c) and d) The post was not advertised therefore the Council does not hold this information.
3 a) Is Ms McGeachie now on the payroll and b) if not through which company is she being paid?
3 a) Ms McGeachie is not a London Borough of Barnet employee and so is not on the Council’s payroll
3 b) Ms McGeachie is paid through Hays on a temporary basis. Where temporary means forever, 3+ years so far, since January 2009, and not a single penny of PAYE paid?
4 Please tell me a) what salary scale applies or b) the daily rate paid to the agency.
4 a) The salary scale is as set out in the DPR, in section 5 under HR Change Consultant
4 b) The day rate paid to Hays is £575
I note that Sarah Murphy-Brookman is now the Assistant Director of HR (the report to the Remuneration Committee does not say if this is an interim post or not).
I have undertaken the Internal Review and the outcome of my review is set out below. I have processed this review request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I have looked at your original request and the answers provided. Whilst some of the information provided and answers given were correct, I do agree that some of the information provided to you did not directly answer some of the questions you had asked. Additionally, I am afraid that some of the answers to the questions were slightly incorrect, in that the answers given referred to a different post (the Head of Business Partnering and Reward) rather than that specifically asked about (the Head of Business Partnering and Change). This appears to have been caused by a genuine misunderstanding of the detail of your question. The Role Profile sent to you was similarly incorrect in that instead of it being for the Head of Business Partnering and Change it was for the Head of Business Partnering and Reward. I apologise for any inconvenience these errors may have caused.
The corrected answers and information to answer your FOIA request, with clarified numbering, are:
I understand that Jacquie McGeachie is no longer the interim Assistant Director of HR and is working on some sort of special project for Nick Walkley.
1. a) Please tell me the nature of the special project and b) provide the job description for it.
1 a) Ms McGeachie is assisting the Chief Executive with HR and associated issues arising in the current restructure of the council’s senior mangers (sic). If there was a recruitment drive we might get a better officer for less money?
1 b) There is no Job Description available, therefore the Council does not hold this information.
The post is a HR consultant role, which was has been created, under DPR no. 1645. This may be obtained at the following link:http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=123
2 a) Please tell me when and b) where it was advertised and c) how many candidates applied and how many were short-listed.
2 a), b), c) and d) The post was not advertised therefore the Council does not hold this information.
3 a) Is Ms McGeachie now on the payroll and b) if not through which company is she being paid?
3 a) Ms McGeachie is not a London Borough of Barnet employee and so is not on the Council’s payroll
3 b) Ms McGeachie is paid through Hays on a temporary basis. Where temporary means forever, 3+ years so far, since January 2009, and not a single penny of PAYE paid?
4 Please tell me a) what salary scale applies or b) the daily rate paid to the agency.
4 a) The salary scale is as set out in the DPR, in section 5 under HR Change Consultant
4 b) The day rate paid to Hays is £575
I note that Sarah Murphy-Brookman is now the Assistant Director of HR (the report to the Remuneration Committee does not say if this is an interim post or not).
5 Is this a permanent posting or an interim one?
5 This is an interim post, please see section 8.2 of the DPR which refers to an interim structure which will be reversed at outsourcing. At which point doubtless she will slip seamlessly into another role. She doesn't put interim in front of her title like others do. She also doesn't tax dodge as far as Mr Mustard is aware.
6 a) Has the pay scale of the post been changed in the last 12 months, and b) if so in what way?
6 a) Yes.
6 b) It has been reduced from spinal column point (scp) range 247-250 to scp 243.
7 Please tell me a) when and b) where the post was advertised and c) how many candidates applied and d) how many were short-listed.
7 a), b), c) and d) The post was not advertised therefore the Council does not hold this information Aren't all posts meant to be advertised?
Ms Murphy-Brookman previously filled the role of Head of Business Partnering and Change.
8 Please provide a copy of the job description for that post including the pay scale.
8. The Role Profile for the Head of Business Partnering and Change can be found at this link. Please note that this post was previously called Head of Business Partnering and Employee Engagement, and when the role was changed to Head of Business Partnering and Change the title on the role profile was not similarly amended. Now you know it is wrong why not correct it? You have had a month and not done it. No-one cares about detail.
9 a)Has the pay scale of the post been changed in the last 12 months and b) if so in what way?
9 a) the pay scale for this post has not been changed as such, but as can been seen in the DPR (link provided above in 1 b)) this post has been temporarily suspended.
9 b) please see 9 a) above
10 Please tell me who is now filling the post.
10 As can be seen in the DPR the post has been temporarily suspended, so there is no person in post.
11 Please tell me if a) that person is now on the payroll under PAYE or b) are provided by an agency and c) which one.
11 a)b) and c) As can be seen in the DPR the post has been temporarily suspended, so there is no person in post, therefore the Council holds no information on this.
8. The Role Profile for the Head of Business Partnering and Change can be found at this link. Please note that this post was previously called Head of Business Partnering and Employee Engagement, and when the role was changed to Head of Business Partnering and Change the title on the role profile was not similarly amended. Now you know it is wrong why not correct it? You have had a month and not done it. No-one cares about detail.
9 a)Has the pay scale of the post been changed in the last 12 months and b) if so in what way?
9 a) the pay scale for this post has not been changed as such, but as can been seen in the DPR (link provided above in 1 b)) this post has been temporarily suspended.
9 b) please see 9 a) above
10 Please tell me who is now filling the post.
10 As can be seen in the DPR the post has been temporarily suspended, so there is no person in post.
11 Please tell me if a) that person is now on the payroll under PAYE or b) are provided by an agency and c) which one.
11 a)b) and c) As can be seen in the DPR the post has been temporarily suspended, so there is no person in post, therefore the Council holds no information on this.
12 If paid through an agency please tell me the daily rate.
12 There is no person in post, therefore the Council holds no information on this.
13 If an employee paid under PAYE is the posting an interim or permanent one?
13 There is no person in post, therefore the Council holds no information on this.
14 Please tell me a) when and b) where the post was advertised and c) how many candidates applied and d) how many were short-listed.
14 a) b) c) and d) the post has not been advertised, therefore the council holds no information on this.
Is that all clear for you? There are 3 senior temporary posts which are in the DPR apart from the McGeachie one and for which Mr Mustard has sent for details which he will bring you in a few months time.
Just to show you what a soap opera these jobs are, with even the council getting confused by their own changes, in which they seem only to change the tile of the post and nothing substantive, you need to see this blog post so that you can see that HR have been tiddling about since at least 2009.
Yours frugally
Mr Mustard
Just incredible: it seems Barnet's senior officers write their own conditions of employment, and we just pay the bill.
ReplyDeleteWell Mrs Angry the head honcho (same spelling for the femine version) of HR for about 3 years was a town hall tax dodger (© ERic Pickles MP) and so we cannot expect any great adherence to the rule book.
ReplyDelete