Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor D Brown.

Councillor J Jackson declared that she was a member of GMB.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relevant to the work of the Committee.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.  It is not required to give notice of the intention to make use of public speaking provision, however, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours notice is encouraged.

There were no members of the public present.

To approve the minutes of the meetings held on 11 January 2013 and 13 June 2013.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meetings held on 11 January 2013 and 13 June 2013 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a report on the progress with Human Resources issues

The Head of Organisational Development, aided by the Head of Governance and Democratic Services presented a report which provided a general update on Human Resource issues, including Health and Safety, Organisational Development, HR Delivery and HR Policy & Reward.

The Corporate Health and Safety Health Team had been awarded a RoSPA Gold Award for Recognition.  As a result of this award, all Council employees are able to display the gold logo on their email signatures.

In Quarter 4, a total of 1505 accidents and 164 incidents were entered onto PRIME, of which 35 were RIDDOR reportable to the Health and Safety Executive.  The trends for the past two years and half years demonstrated that the accident reporting rates and number of RIDDOR reports had now stabilised. 

A full employee survey was last carried out in 2009 and since then the Council had changed significantly.  It was planned that an employee engagement survey would be launched on 1 November 2013 for non-school employees only. Working with research company Survey Solutions, the survey would explore seven key themes:

• Your job
• Managers and leaders
• Communications
• Development
• Wellbeing
• Change
• Our Council

It was expected that the survey results would be available in January 2014, which would include an overall measure of employee engagement alongside other indicators about change, communication, management and leadership and ‘new deal’ indicators.  The results would be benchmarked internally and externally, using public and private sector norm groups.

A mini competition had been undertaken to call off a contract under the Government Procurement Scheme for an Employee Assistance Programme to be made available to all non school employees of the Council.  Following an evaluation of the tenders a contract was to be awarded to Health Management Limited.  The service would provide telephone access to appropriate qualified professionals for counselling, support, advice and information 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. 

In order to monitor and assess the success and effectiveness of the programme, a full range of data, information and statistics would be provided on a monthly basis.  It was expected that the programme would be launched in August 2013.

RESOLVED:

That the HR Update report be noted.

To receive an oral update on the review of the Staffing Committee’s Terms of Reference

The Committee at its meeting on 24 May 2013 had agreed to review its Terms of Reference.  It was reported that since that meeting a Notice of Motion had been submitted to Council on 18 July 2013, which read “The Council requests an immediate review of the Staffing Committee’s terms of reference with a view to widening its remit to encompass matters that are normally entailed in the work of a Staffing Committee such as corporate culture, employee relations and communications, senior appointment, disciplinary matters and management structures.”  The Motion had been referred to the Constitution Committee for consideration.

Members discussed how best to take forward the review of the terms of reference.  It was suggested the Chairman of Staffing Committee speak to the Chairman of the Constitution Committee to discuss how to deal with the review of the Terms of Reference.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the oral update be received;

(2)       the Chairman of the Staffing Committee contact the Chairman of the Constitution Committee to discuss how to deal with reviewing the Staffing Committee’s Terms of Reference.

The Staffing Sub Committee, at its meeting on 27 June 2013, resolved that the work of the Sub Committee was now complete and that the minutes of all its meetings should be forwarded to the Staffing Committee as a complete record of its activities. 

To receive and note the minutes of the meetings of the Staffing Sub Committee held on 24 July 2012, 13 December 2012, 18 December 2012, 8 January 2013, 23 January 2013, 1 February 2013, 7 February 2013 and 27 June 2013.

The Committee received the minutes of the Staffing Sub Committee.

The Staffing Sub Committee had been appointed in June 2012 tocommission an investigation into the conduct of staff mentioned in the Internal Audit Report on the Lyme Green Waste Transfer Station, and to consider the findings of the investigation report including any disciplinary or other action.

The Staffing Sub Committee, at its meeting on 27 June 2013, had concluded that the work of the Sub Committee was complete and that all the minutes should be forwarded to the Staffing Committee as a complete record of its activities.

The Staffing Committee expressed their thanks to the members of the Sub Committee for their work during the course of the investigation.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Staffing Sub Committee be received and noted.

The reports relating to the remaining items on the agenda have been withheld from public circulation and deposit pursuant to Section 100(B)(2) of the Local Government 1972 on the grounds that the matters may be determined with the press and public excluded.

The Committee may decide that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items pursuant to Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended on the grounds that they involved the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1, 2 and 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing this information.

• Management Restructure
• Outsourcing of Services

The Trade Union representatives raised issues in relation to the following items:

• Management Restructure
• Outsourcing of Services

To receive and note the minute of the meeting of the Staffing Sub Committee held 7 February 2013.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Staffing Sub Committee on 7 February 2013 be received and noted.