Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors M Deakin and D Flude.

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

Councillor J Jackson declared that she was a member of GMB and Councillor S Hogben declared that he was a member of Unite.

In accordance with paragraph 2.32 of the Committee Procedural Rules and Appendix 7 of the Rules 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 body in question. 

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.

Councillor Sam Corcoran stated he was concerned that a Starting the Conversation session had been cancelled due to low attendance rates.  He had previously stated that people were afraid to engage for fear of reprisal – they were afraid to put their heads above the parapet.  He made reference to a story in Crewe Chronicle newspaper about a severance payment to an officer who was subject to disciplinary processes,which had quoted Cllr Howard Murray, who was then asked to step down from his committee roles.  If confidence in the Council was to be regained, then changes of attitude and changes at the top needed to happen.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2018

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2018 be confirmed as a correct record.

To consider a report on progress with the Council’s People Plan 2017/18 as at the end of quarter four, to include Health and Safety, Human Resource and Organisational Development items

The Committee considered a report on the progress with the Council’s People Plan 2017/18.

The report provided details on the progress with the main priorities for each HR service area in the People Plan, and on HR Performance Data for Quarter 4, which included headcount and employee turnover, voluntary redundancy and working days lost to sickness absence.

The report also provided a summary of accidents and incidents in Quarter 4 of 2017/18 and details of the RIDDOR reportable accidents.

It was noted that 94 applications had been received under the Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme.  A business case would be produced for each application to demonstrate the likely service impact, which would form part of the decision making process.  Applicants would be informed by 31 May of the outcome, with successful applicants leaving their employment with the Council on 30 June 2018.  An update report would be brought to the next meeting of the Staffing Committee.

Education HR Consultancy had offered an improved package of services to schools and academies for 2018/19.  An update on buy-back numbers for the new academic year would be provided at the next committee meeting.

The Committee requested that the format of the tables used to show the number of HR casework be amended to year on year data so that any trends could be identified, including if possible, elapsed time taken to complete/close down case work.

RESOLVED: That

1        the report be noted; and

2        the HR casework tables be amended to show year on year data, and if possible elapsed time taken to complete/close down case work.

To consider an update report on Wellbeing in Work

The Committee considered a report which provided an update on Wellbeing in Work.

The report detailed the work undertaken to date by the Wellbeing in Work Staff Forum and the Wellbeing in Work Contributors’ Group. 

The first group of Mental Health First Aiders had received training to recognisecrucial warning signs of mental ill health and guide someone to appropriate support.

The Dignity at Work policy had been relaunched and was supported by a mandatory e-learning module. 

The Committee suggested that the soft and hard measures for the success of the Wellbeing in Work framework be reviewed in the light of the work undertaken and outcomes to date.

RESOLVED: That

1        the report be noted; and

2        the soft and hard measures for the success of the Wellbeing in Work programme be reviewed.

To consider a report on progress with the Brighter Future Transformation Programme

The Committee considered a report which provided an update on Brighter Future Transformation Programme.

The report, at Appendix 1, set out the governance structure and arrangements and also set out the programme of work to be undertaken, as detailed in Appendix 2.

As arranged, Staffing Committee would have a key assurance role.  The Chairman proposed that he, along with Councillor D Flude, would meet to initially review the programme structure, governance arrangements and terms of references for the Transformation Programme to provide assurance and report back to the Staffing Committee. They would also draw up a plan of approach for reviewing Phases of the Transformation Programme and report back to the Staffing Committee members in due course.

RESOLVED:  That

1        the report be noted; and

2        Councillor B Moran and Councillor D Flude to review the programme structure, governance arrangements and terms of references for the Transformation Programme, to provide assurance and report back to the Staffing Committee.

To receive a verbal update

The Chairman reported that following the interviews the Committee had decided not to make a recommendation to Council to appoint to the position of Director of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer.

Consideration would now be given to how to progress with this position.

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 press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended on the grounds that it involved the likely discussion of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and the public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

To receive a verbal report

The Committee received a verbal report on a staffing matter.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.