QUESTIONS still remain over a number of key issues surrounding the new council headquarters, and staffing when the new Fermanagh Omagh super council comes into effect next year.
While both councils offer similar services at present it is not expected that many jobs will be lost. The more likely scenario is that, with councils being given more power, roles will be redefined.
Issues surround both the location of services; and where each will operate, and where the administrative head, or ‘HQ’ will be located.
While a ‘split site’ idea may work when it comes to services, it is unlikely to be the choice for the headquarters. Of the new Fermanagh Omagh council, the Fermanagh side has the highest population.
With services, friction may occur on both ends when employees may be expected to commute to work. For example, staff previously based at the Town Hall in Enniskillen may find themselves having to travel to work at the Grange, the current headquarters of Omagh District Council.
Present Enniskillen councillor, the SDLP’s Frank Britton, is not seeking re-election, but by the time his term ends he will have amassed 14 years of service as a councillor.
Speculating this week on the future of Fermanagh as a council headquarters and services base, Cllr Britton said he feared that big changes were on the horizon.
“There’s two aspects to this, there’s the aspect of where the HQ is located, and by HQ I mean the key strategic staff, the decision makers – the directors, the chief executive, and the department head.
“And there’s the aspect of where the services will emanate from.”
He spoke of the possibility of workers from here having to commute to Omagh, however, highlighted the importance of examining the idea of working remotely.
“That’s always a possibility. Nobody wants to drive anymore than there’ll currently driving, to be honest with you. I’ve seen it happen with other government services where they have no bother at the drop of a hat moving people to Omagh, or indeed somewhere else.
“It doesn’t necessarily improve the service. In today’s world, there’s not as much justification for having people in one physical location – the technology allows us to be basically anywhere. Unless it’s a constant ‘face-to-face’ service, you can work anywhere. That goes for most of the services that the council operates.”
The biggest issue, he saw, was the issue of where the headquarters would be located.
“It is a really key issue. You can’t split headquarters – I can’t think of anywhere that does that. It would be completely wrong to talk of a split headquarters. It is the location of the key leadership – it is the place for the chief executive, the directors and where they are able to come together rapidly over issues that arise.
“This new council, its headquarters, should and must be in Enniskillen for very practical reasons, because Fermanagh is the largest component of the new council. The largest part of the services that are delivered in the new council will be delivered in the Fermanagh area.
“If it’s not in Fermanagh then I think people will be absolutely dumbfounded.”
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