Flexible Fenland

There is an interesting response on the site today from chief executive of Fenland DC Tim Pilsbury.

Writing in Localgov.co.uk sister title The MJ, Mr Pilsbury outlines his surprise at the media coverage after it emerged that one of his council’s officers would be retained on a part-time basis after he had moved to Australia.

It looks like the Cambridgeshire district has fallen victim of the silly season, as Mr Pilsbury says that his council had the ‘world’s media on its doorstep’ last week. What certain elements the popular press did not really want to stomach, though, is the rationale behind this move.

Good succession planning is something all competent organisations should aspire to, and Fenland is doing just that with this move.

The officer in question, Mat Taylor, will work remotely one day a week to maintain continuity through the next service planning cycle.

As Mr Pilsbury points out, the council will also have a coach and mentor for Mr Taylor’s replacement and, due to a reshuffle of the corporate management team, this has all been achieved on a cost-neutral basis.

This story, therefore, says more about media attitudes to local government and, to a lesser extent, flexible working practice.

For some hacks, the image of a council officer working on the beach was too good to ignore… naturally, it would be a great skive too, as that’s all working from home is, right?

You’ll note from my biog that I’m a little biased here. I divide my time between a home office and our London HQ.

The fact is that technology has improved considerably and, with the right management structures in place, working practices as flexible as the Fenland example are possible, however radical they may appear at first.