Wardenal Review

Wardenal Review: Final Phase of Consultation

The University of Southampton has reviewed its out of hours support provision in Halls of Residence. The following models were considered in the final phase of consultation.

Current Service

To work for the current wardenal service there is a requirement to have a ‘substantive connection’ to the University which means that it is comprised of staff and students already working or studying in other roles.  They either volunteer or work part-time to give an out of hours’ presence in the Halls of Residence.  Each member of the team is contracted to be on duty 1 night in 5 between the hours 6pm and 8am and 1 weekend in 5 round the clock to provide a safe, study conducive environment.*  There are approximately 89 wardens in the team. For part of each shift the wardens sleep in their living accommodation which is provided as part of their contract along with other benefits in kind.  They can be contacted via security, reception and/or the duty telephone number when required.  The management team work for the University full-time in other posts.  They are on call as part of a duty rota.  The service costs approximately £828,000 to operate.

*The Glen Eyre team are on duty 1 night in 10 and 1 weekend in 10.

Objectives:

The review process is designed to:

  • clearly define what is on offer to our student residents as part of their accommodation contract, ensuring that there is a consistent offer across our Halls of Residences sites
  • modernise the employment conditions of those providing the service to bring them in line with other employees
  • make these improvements within existing budget

 

Model Comparison

The table below summarises the key shared features of the Preferred Model and Revised Option 5 and identifies the differences between the two models.

Shared Features

The support offer to student residents is the same in both models, improving the existing experience. 

The terms and conditions for employees will be the same in both models.

There will be the risk of redundancies in both models.

Differences

    

 

Preferred Modernising Option

Revised Option 5

How it is delivered

Staff present and awake

Staff on standby and call out

Who will be eligible to work

Open competitive recruitment

Competitive recruitment within pool of those with ‘substantive connection to the University’

What additional employee benefits are available

No need for personal staff accommodation as present and awake in office location

Free or subsidised personal accommodation in Halls of Residence

The estimated cost to the University of Southampton

£425,176

£1,621,978 (excluding call out payments)

Following the close of the consultation on 31st March further revisions to the model of out of hours support provision in Halls of Residence have been undertaken. We have increased the number of full-time posts in the service, added additional security support on small sites and created transitional posts from September 2010 - January 2011 which will mirror the current service. This will accrue additional costs in the first year which have been detailed in the Determination Report. Recruitment to the new service has begun.

You can find out more about the principles which underpinned the Review Process.

You can find out more about the preferred model of Residence Support.