What is the policy/strategy/function/trying to achieve/do?
Achieve a 10% budget saving in the Community Learning & Development (CLD) team budget over two years (2026/27 & 2027/28) through a ‘Review of staffing structure’. The total amount to be saved is £428,000, with £214,000 to be saved in each of the two financial years above.
If this is a budget saving, how will the saving be achieved?
This saving equates to approximately 7 FTE posts . This will therefore require to be achieved through a reduction in staffing across the CLD team, including management and frontline posts. This will have an impact on the young people, families and communities who receive support from the CLD service.
If this policy is subject to the FSD what does it suggest about the impact or potential impact on socio-economic disadvantage?
The savings will result in a further reduction in the CLD practitioner workforce. The reconfiguration of resources would focus the remaining service in a more targeted manner to support the Council’s One Plan approach and Tackling Poverty Strategy. The effect of this would be a greater focus on the most vulnerable families and communities particularly people with protected characteristics and suffering multiple impacts of poverty.
Give details of the impact it has on groups and individuals
Stakeholders and Beneficiaries
North Lanarkshire Council employees - 7 FTE CLD staff will be directly impacted upon to achieve the proposed saving of 428k. Young People, Adults, Families, Communities, Partners, Schools, Third Sector – working with the CLD Partnership or in receipt of services.
Desktop Exercise:
- Previous options appraisal report for 2025-26 savings, including stakeholder engagement.
- Establishment data for permanent core workforce.
- HR contractual profile of all affected employees.
- Workforce profiling
- Application of Council’s HS policies considered in respect of individual circumstances of employees.
- Plan for North Lanarkshire, Programme of Work and CLD Service Plan
- Management Information System (Cognisoft)
- HMIe Inspection Reports/Data.
- SIMD data
- Self-evaluation data, including recent peer-evaluation exercise (Jan-Mar 2026)
- External funding opportunities
Age
CLD currently works with learners of all ages, including those at key life stages such as children and young people from birth to 18 years old. Whilst the service will target the most vulnerable young people, a reduction of 7 FTE staff will impact on the number of children and young people that the team can work with.
Disabled people and people with long term health conditions
CLD works with community members through projects that support physical / mental health and wellbeing e.g. Living Life to the Full, Seasons for Growth and LIAM. The number of individuals the CLD service can work with will be reduced.
Women or men, girls or boys
CLD works with learners across North Lanarkshire of all backgrounds and genders, however some single-gender programmes are available within particular projects which may be impacted as a result of any staffing changes.
People defined by their race, colour and nationality, ethnic or national origins.
CLD works with learners across North Lanarkshire of all backgrounds and origins, however some programmes are targeted at ESOL learners, New Scots, etc through specific projects which may be impacted as a result of any staffing changes.
Pregnant women and new mothers (including breastfeeding women)
CLD works with learners across North Lanarkshire of all backgrounds and family status, however some programmes are targeted at pregnant women and new parents such as Homelink, breastfeeding and weaning support through projects which may be impacted as a result of any staffing changes.
Lesbian, gay and bisexual people
CLD works with learners across North Lanarkshire of all backgrounds and sexualities, however some programmes are targeted at lesbian, gay and bisexual people such as Youth Work LGBT+ groups through projects which may be impacted as a result of any staffing changes.
People transitioning from one gender to another
CLD works with learners across North Lanarkshire of all backgrounds and genders, sexualities, however some programmes are targeted at those who identify as trans such as Youth Work LGBT+ groups through projects which may be impacted as a result of any staffing changes.
Other Groups
CLD works with children, young people, families and communities to provide individual and group support alongside relevant learning opportunities. This support helps young people and families realise their potential and improve outcomes. Just under half of the individuals who engage with CLD live within the most deprived 20% SIMD data zones and may also experience multiple barriers linked to low income, unemployment, health issues and poverty.
Employees – full and part time. Including SES, MAs etc
In relation to NLC employees affected by the Workforce Change Implementation Plan, the appropriate Council policies and procedures (i.e. Redeployment, Redundancy, etc) will be implemented. These policies have been designed in line with the duties and requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
As a result of the savings outlined above, the remaining CLD resource will be reconfigured to support the community-based learning and development of vulnerable children, young people, parents and families.
There will be a requirement to design a new approach to the targeting of CLD practice around affected projects, alongside young people, adults, families and other stakeholders such as referral and partnership agencies. In relation to the impact on council employees, consultation will continue with trade unions in addition to direct engagement with affected employees.
Specific meetings will be convened with Trades Unions as part of formal consultation on Workforce Change Implementation Plan.
The Employee Equality Forum will be part of engagement on overall impact of the Council’s budget savings for 2026/27 & 2027/28.
Data around the direct service impact of a reduced CLD resource will be assessed and tracked before, during and after the implementation of the budget saving and the associated workforce change plan.
Internal trend data and current SG and NLC policies set out increased expectations for the CLD service, however this is set against a backdrop of previous savings from the CLD service over previous years. A further reduction would severely impact on the service’s ability to deliver frontline services.
What actions/measures will be put in place or are planned to mitigate any adverse impact or promote equality?
Communication Plan – Effective engagement with employees, trade unions, and affected service users to co-design the future approach to ensure improved outcomes for the most vulnerable young people, adults and families.
Ongoing Equality Impact Assessment process linked to workforce and service planning.
What is the result/recommendations of the EqIA
Introduce the Policy.