Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors D Brown, J Jackson and M Jones.

Councillor D Flude declared that she was a retired member of UNISON.

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 meeting held on 16 January 2014.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2014 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a report on Health and Safety matters within the Council

The Corporate Health and Safety Manager presented a report which provided a general update on Health and Safety matters.

It was reported that during Quarter 4, a total of 132 delegates had attended 14 Corporate Health and Safety courses.  The courses included First Aid Training, Using PRIME, Manual Handling and IOSH Managing Safely.

The Corporate Health and Safety Team had won a second successive Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Gold Award for the Council.

Support would be provided to the Alternative Service Delivery Vehicles (ADSVs).  Health and Safety Advisers had met relevant Managers to discuss health and safety priorities and requirements for each ADSV and would be preparing specific health and safety policies and identifying training needs for employees.

Accident and incident statistics for the period 1 January to 28 February 2014 were reported to the Committee.  A total of 837 accidents and 202 incidents had been reported on PRIME, of which 17 were RIDDOR reportable to the Health & Safety Executive.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted. 

To consider a report on the progress with Human Resources and Organisational Development issues.

The Head of People and Organisational Development presented a report which provided a general update on Human Resource issues.

A review of the core organisational values, associated behaviours and the employee recognition scheme had been commissioned by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive to ensure that the Council’s core values reflected what mattered most and provided a strong and enduring foundation for future success.  The core organisational values had been discussed at the recent staff roadshows.

A series of conferences had taken place for Middle Managers led by the Leader, Chief Executive and Director for Strategic Commissioning.  The future direction and priorities of the Council were discussed along with how the role of middle managers could help achieve success.

The Council had embarked on an accredited ‘Coaching for innovation, change and performance’ development programme, which was being led by PB Coaching.  The programme would be piloted between April and August 2014 and following evaluation of the pilot would be offered across the organisation. 

As part of Phase 1 & 2 management review, 120 senior managers had been placed on to performance related pay.  A Senior Management Pay and Reward Policy had been drafted and would be subject to formal approval by Cabinet.  The Policy supported the Council’s new Senior Management Pay Structure and was in line with the 2014 Pay Policy Statement. 

Council, at its meeting on 10 April 2014, was being asked to establish an Appraisal Board for Corporate Leadership Board members and delegate the arrangements for establishing and running the Board to the Staffing Committee.  It was agreed that a further meeting of the Staffing Committee would be held on 24 April 2014 to discuss the arrangements for the Appraisal Board.

Following the submission of a Notice of Motion to Council requesting a review of the Staffing Committee’s Terms of Reference, the Constitution Working Group had been looking at widening the remit of the Committee to encompass matters such as corporate culture, employee relations, senior appointments, disciplinary matters and management structures.  The revised Terms of Reference would be going to the Constitution Committee on 1 May 2014 and then to Council on 14 May 2014 for approval.  It was agreed that the Terms of Reference should be brought to the meeting of Staffing Committee on 24 April 2014 so that Staffing Committee members could comment on them.

With effect from 1 April 2014 the Local Government Pension scheme would become a Career Average Re-Valued Earnings scheme rather than a Final Salary Scheme, which meant that the pension would be accrued based on earnings for each year the employee was eligible to contribute to the scheme.  In addition employee contributions were changing with those earning above £43k would see increases in their contribution rates. 

RESOLVED:  That

(1)       the report be noted; and

(2)       a meeting of the Staffing Committee be held on 24 April 2014 to consider the Corporate Leadership Board Appraisal Board and Staffing Committee Terms of Reference.