Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies were received from Councillors D Brown and J Jackson.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made.

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 23 October 2014

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 October 2014 be approved as a correct record.

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

The Committee received a report which provided a general update on health and safety matters.

The Corporate Health and Safety Manager report that 17 corporate health and safety courses had been delivered during quarter 3, which had been attended by 170 staff members.

The Corporate Health and Safety Policy had been completely refreshed and had been through the agreed consultation route.  The Committee was advised that this was the final opportunity to make any further recommendations before the document was forwarded to the Head of Paid Service for approval.

The Quarter 3 accident and incident statistics showed a total of 665 accidents in the corporate core area, with 15 RIDDOR reportable accidents.  Details of the monthly statistics for October, November and December 2014 were circulated at the meeting.

The Committee had been informed at its last meeting that it was more appropriate for the Cheshire Residents First Board to issue an annual report to the Committee on the accident and incident statistics of the Alternative Service Delivery Vehicles.  It was asked if this report could be expanded to include details for Cheshire Highways and other contractors.

The Committee also asked about accident and incident statistics for the schools in Cheshire - maintained schools, faith schools, free schools and academies, and asked where this information was reported to. 

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

To consider a report on HR and Organisational Development issues

The Organisational Development Manager presented a report which provided a general update on human resources issues.

It was reported that the Making A Difference annual staff awards had taken place in December 2014.  The winners of each category were as follows:

·         Employee of the year for support staff 2014:

Jonathan Sayer

·         Employee of the year for front line staff 2014:

Becky Yates

·         First-time manager of the year 2014:

Lee Hudson

·         Manager of the year 2014:

Jonathan Potter

·         Team of the year for collaboration 2014 – joint winners:

Connecting Cheshire Partnership

Supported Employment Team

·         Team of the year for outstanding service 2014:

Youth Crime Prevention

·         Members’ choice 2014 – joint winners:

Lorraine Rushton

Congleton and Macclesfield SMART

·         Corporate Leadership Board award for community impact:

Housing Options

·         Deputy Leader’s award for special public service:

Tim Kingston

·         Leader’s Award for employee of the year:

Sue Walczak

As part of the Council’s continued work to build staff engagement, there was a proposal to hold four half day conferences entitled the ‘Big Event’, which would share and update colleagues on the opportunities and challenges ahead for the Council.   The Committee expressed an interest in the events, asking about attendance, post event evaluation and costings.

A new and market leading employee recruitment system known as Taleo was expected to go live on 15 January 2015.  Jointly commissioned with Cheshire West and Chester Council and CoScious, the new system would replace the current vacancy management system which was no longer fit for purpose.  The Taleo system supported the end to end recruitment cycle from identifying the need/vacancy through to sourcing potential candidates, engaging and managing candidates through the process, completing checks and formalities and bringing them into the Council.    The Committee asked that the access to job opportunities was not confined to on-line applications but tailored to the potential candidate pool and ensuring access to disabled and disadvantaged applicants.

Work would commence shortly to develop the Council’s Workforce Strategy for 2015/18.  The outcomes of the workforce strategy were as follows:

·         Have an agile, multi-skilled, engaged and high performing workforce able to respond to the challenges and opportunities ahead

·         Where appropriate attract and retain the best people from all sectors of the community to work for the Council

·         Share and deploy available resources across the Council in the best way to ensure priorities are achieved.

The Committee commented on objectives and themes of the Workforce Strategy.  Further details would be brought to the Committee in due course.

Shared parental leave was a new legal entitlement for eligible parents of babies due, or children placed for adoption, on or after 5 April 2015 and allowed both parents with the opportunity to consider the best arrangements to care for their child during the child’s first year.   As a result of the legislation,

HR would being reviewing the Council’s maternity, paternity and adoption leave and pay policies and procedures to make the necessary administrative changes.  The Committee would be updated on any changes to these policies once the review had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

To receive the job description for the role of Executive Director, Economic Growth and Prosperity

The Committee considered a report which detailed the job description for the position of Executive Director Economic Growth and Prosperity.

Council, at its meeting on 11 December 2014, had agreed to the creation of a new role of Executive Director Economic Growth and Prosperity to strengthen the Council’s Senior Leadership capacity in preparation for significant developments in economic development and regeneration. 

The role had been evaluated and fell within the existing senior manager grade range of £110,000 to £120,000 per annum plus a possible Performance Related Pay of up to £10,000 per annum in accordance with the Council’s Pay Policy. 

RESOLVED:

That the Job Description of the role of Executive Director Economic Growth and Prosperity be 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 Act 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 1972 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 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 public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item, in pursuant to Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing this information.

To consider the report of the Chief Executive 

The Committee considered a report on the appointment of the position of Executive Director Economic Growth and Prosperity.

RESOLVED:

1             That Caroline Simpson be assimilated into the role of Executive Director Economic Growth and Prosperity, subject to the approval of Cabinet.

2             the Chief Executive be instructed to take the necessary steps to impellent the decision.