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Jobs go in major shake-up at HIE HIE losing '850 years' experience
(about 2 hours later)
A slimmed down Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) have 200 less staff and fewer operational areas, it has been revealed. A shake-up of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has led to the loss of experienced staff, according to a MSP.
The reorganisation follows a Scottish Government decision to move some of the agency's responsibilities to other public bodies. Up to 60 staff were understood to have taken voluntary packages following the Scottish Government's decision to reorganise the agency last autumn.
Eight geographical areas will be replaced by three regions. Changes to its management structure have also now been unveiled - a move the body said would make it more effective.
The workforce will shrink from 550 to about 350. The government promised no compulsory redundancies. However, MSP Peter Peacock said key employees have chosen to leave.
However, 59 staff have chosen to take voluntary packages and go. He said: "They have not been twiddling their thumbs for the last number of years, they have been doing serious work for the Highlands economy and its development.
Properly resourced "You are seeing go out the door of HIE something like 850 years of staff experience."
Area teams will continue - but operations will now be run by just three regional directors - Highland, taking in Caithness and Sutherland, Portree and Inverness; West, taking in Argyll and the Western Isles; and East which will include West Grampian, Orkney and Shetland. Reorganisation agreed last year saw a number of staff at Careers Scotland - which was integrated with HIE - move to a new body.
Chief executive Sandy Cumming said the government had made it clear HIE should focus on its areas of highest expertise - sustainable economic growth and strengthening communities. Meanwhile, several changes to HIE's management structure will be made from April - including its eight current operational groupings being reduced to five.
However, unions said once they had ensured terms and conditions they would be looking closely to see if their members were going to be properly resourced to do the jobs they were being asked to. However, area teams, working under the generic HIE name, will be maintained in each of its local enterprise company areas.
'Highest expertise'
To assist closer working with local authorities, operations will be managed by three regional directors, each reporting to operations director Douglas Yule.
HIE chief executive Sandy Cumming said: "These management changes are absolutely the right ones to equip this agency with the best structure to take forward the government economic strategy.
"The Scottish Government has made it clear that HIE should focus wholly on our areas of highest expertise - sustainable economic growth and strengthening communities."
He added: "HIE staff are highly skilled and committed to the success of this region and I know that we are all looking forward to being part of Scotland's ambitious economic future."