A NEW shake-up of top management in the corridors of beleaguered Waveney District Council looks set to move a step closer next week which could save the authority up to £200,000 and could include the axing of four senior posts.

A NEW shake-up of top management in the corridors of beleaguered Waveney District Council looks set to move a step closer next week which could save the authority up to £200,000 and could include the axing of four senior posts.

Waveney's new chief executive Stephen Baker will be sharing his role with Suffolk Coastal District Council and a new head of service level management structure looks set to be rolled out from May after the local elections.

And as part of the agreement between the two authorities it has been noted that “it will be necessary for all tiers of management to change and review systems and approaches.”

The new senior management team at Waveney will be headed by Mr Baker, with a deputy chief executive, an assistant chief executive, and a director of resources in charge of the second tier of management.

The Journal understands that the two corporate directors within the existing management structure - Stephen Archer and Linda Scase-Jones - may have to reapply for one job in the new shake-up.

And in a report to full council, which is set to be discussed on Wednesday, the proposed management restructure is to streamline the number of heads of service from 10 to six and make savings in the region of £200,000.

The report to councillors states: “With the new chief executive starting on April 1 there is an urgent need to have a management structure that addresses the need for Waveney District Council to be a leaner, enabling, performance and customer focused organisation; with a clear deputy to lead the council when the chief executive is at Suffolk Coastal District Council, supported by a reinforced chief officer group and senior management team.”

With council staff currently being consulted upon the proposed structural changes the recommendation to full council will follow last month's decision to begin revising the council's overall management structure.

And in the interim of Mr Baker taking over at Waveney, next week's recommendation to full council is for the chief executive and council leader Mark Bee to be given authority to implement the senior management team structural changes subject to consultation with the staff.