VOLUNTEER groups will be asked to fill the gaps caused by job cuts as council budgets get tighter.

Speaking exclusively to The Argus, Brighton and Hove City Council chief executive Geoff Raw said that following a restructuring of the administration, new department chiefs would be briefed to reach out to volunteer groups as the council seeks to cut a further £68 million from its budget by 2020.

But current volunteers and union chiefs questioned whether there was any further capacity for volunteers to step in.

Mr Raw told the Argus: “We’ll be reaching out to volunteers and community groups to provide some opportunities for people to volunteer.

“That will provide potential where we don’t have the budget we did in the past. There’s less money to spend so we are faced with stark choices. “

He clarified that there was no suggestion of replacing roles requiring professional or technical qualifications, such as refuse collectors, teachers or social workers, with volunteers.

He pointed to children’s groups, parks services and pastoral care-in-the-community as areas where existing voluntary support could be expanded upon.

The news comes as the council launch a recruitment drive to fill three six-figure-salary director positions in the newly-restructured administration.

Mark Turner of the GMB union said volunteering had already reached capacity.

He said: “I’m very questionable that it will happen. The council already works with volunteers where they can, it’s not going to take the place of paid council staff more than it does already.

“There’s no further capacity it’s just a buzzword to use.”

Tony Symons, who volunteers his time to run a twins playgroup at Hangleton Park Children’s Centre, said: “As a parent volunteer myself I think it’s a good idea but it shouldn’t solely be 100 per cent volunteers.

“It’s not great to be completely reliant on volunteers but parents need to realise the council is stretched."

Chris Lowe, of the Friends of Queens Park, said: “It’s not simply a matter of physical work, it’s a matter of expertise.

“The people volunteers are replacing may be gardeners, and the volunteers may not be trained in horticulture and they’ll have to train themselves how to be a park gardener.

“They’ll also have to to take on management responsibilities and take on management expertise.

“The big question is whether you can get not only the number of volunteers at the coalface, but to get people who are volunteers and take responsibility for publicising, organising and leading a group.”

SENIOR CHIEF POSTS REDUCED IN COUNCIL’S RESTRUCTURE

THE senior management team at Brighton and Hove City Council is being reduced and new posts are being created after a cost-cutting restructure.

Seven senior posts below chief executive will be cut to six but this will include a new director for neighbourhoods communities and housing.

Council chief executive Geoff Raw said the restructuring will save taxpayers £200,000 per year, largely in senior salaries, but union bosses question whether the figure allows for the costs of hiring new directors and paying off the departing staff.

Mr Raw told The Argus: “The new structure reflects the political agenda of the new administration and their priorities including adult social care.”

Three posts are being advertised following Mr Raw’s promotion from his second tier post and the retirement of two other directors: executive director economy, environment and culture; executive director health and adult social care; and executive director neighbourhoods, communities and housing.

All three command salaries of between £106,000 and £116,000 and the council is paying a recruitment agency an undisclosed fee to find the best candidates for interviews in September.

Mr Raw said the council had a secured a discounted deal with recruiters Solace, saying: “Our capacity in HR has been significantly reduced, we don’t have the resources sitting there for these major recruitments.”

The restructure removes the post of assistant chief executive, which was until recently filled by Paula Murray who has now transferred to Croydon Council following a six-month secondment.

Mr Raw accepted that the reduction of the senior team would shift some responsibilities downwards but said there was an “appetite” among middle managers for scope to innovate within their teams.

Mark Turner of the GMB union questioned the move, argued the new six-figure directorship would be responsible for fewer staff and a smaller budget than some posts on the tier below. He also said costs of severance packages and recruitment agency had not been factored in to the £200,000 figure.