Agenda item

To consider a report on the progress with Human Resource Issues

The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development, aided by the HR Strategy & OD Manager and Corporate Health & Safety Manager, presented a report which provided a general update on Human Resource issues, including Health & Safety, Organisational Development, HR Delivery and HR Policy and Reward.

Health and Safety

It was reported that the Corporate Health and Safety Service had delivered 38 training courses during Quarter 2.  The courses provided included First Aid, Manual & Safer Handling and on PRIME. 

A programme of Health & Safety Reviews for Children and Families (non- school) had commenced in September 2011.  An initial Review was completed at a residential centre with very encouraging results on health & safety management.  Inspections had also taken place of services and locations in the Places Directorate, Adult Services and Leisure Services

In Quarter 2, 1365 accidents/incidents were entered into PRIME, of which 87 were RIDDOR reportable to the Health & Safety Executive.  These figures represented a drop of 5% for the total numbers of accidents reported and 9% for RIDDOR reports when compared to Quarter 1 of the current financial year. 

It was not possible to draw meaningful comparisons between last year and this year’s Quarter 2 figures as the electronic accident recording system – PRIME, was still in its test phase and was only properly rolled out across the organisation from December 2010, meaning that may accidents continued to be recorded locally and were not collated into one central database as now.  Quarter 3 would provide a more meaningful comparison.

Organisational Development

To broaden development opportunities for staff and maximise scarce resources, collaborative opportunities with other public sector organisations within the sub-region were being progressed and included a programme to develop leadership skills for managers. 

Work was underway to refresh the aspire values and to develop a framework for mangers and staff to define “how” successful people approach their work and achieve great things.  This behavioural framework would from part of the performance development process from 1 April 2012.

HR Delivery

The HR Delivery team had been heavily involved in providing data and carrying out consultation to support the implementation of harmonisation.  The Team had also worked on a number of potential TUPE situations, both into and out of, Cheshire East Council.  These included the provision of information and consultation with staff, unions, and external councils on the transfer out of services and assets to town and parish councils.

HR Policy and Reward

The revised package of terms and conditions had been implemented with effect from 1 November 2011, with the main changes affecting pay in December 2011.  The reassessment of applications for the Regular Car Users Allowance had been completed and the results would be implemented in January 2012 pay.

The current contract for the supply of agency workers comes to an end on 31 March 2012.   Work had been undertaken to re-let the contract on a joint basis with Cheshire West and Chester Council.  A decision would be taken at the Cabinet meeting on 9 January 2011 on the new supplier. 

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.