Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor G Barton.

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

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 S Corcoran made a number of observations on the written response he had received to his questions asked at the last meeting.  In relation to the constitutional status of the Chairman’s statement, he stated the Committee should be careful about having ‘bits’ of meetings after the conclusion of formal; either it should be part of the formal meeting or outside of the meeting to avoid any abuse of authority.  He asked how staff could be convinced that changes had been made when those who failed to deal with bullying in the past still remained in post.

The Chairman responded that a full response had been provided to the questions and he regarded that these as full and final and that the matter was now closed.  The Committee had agreed to receive a report at each meeting on the wellbeing of staff and this was happening.  The Committee would continue to be involved in the work on wellbeing and the emerging work from the Cultural Review.

Staffing Committee members provided no comments in response to the Chairman’s request for feedback.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 25 January 2018

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 25 January 2018 be confirmed as a correct record.

To cover through presentation and handouts:

·       Progress since publication of the report

·       Role of Strategic Partner (Sticky Change)

·       Governance & Reporting

·       Outcomes

·       Risks and Issues

·       Role of Staffing Committee

·       Next steps

The Committee received a presentation on the Brighter Future Transformation Programme from the Head of Strategic HR and Mary Clarke from Sticky Change.

Following receipt of the LGA report and recommendations of the Cultural Review, the Council had procured Sticky Change, a change management consultancy, to support the delivery of the Brighter Future Transformation Programme.

The first stage of the Programme was to agree the objectives, scope and deliverables and establish a communications strategy.  A team of Brighter Future Facilitators would be established who would help to design and deliver a series of workshops and on-line mechanisms to engage both staff and Elected Members in the cultural visions and required behaviours.  A Leading the Change event would be held for senior managers. 

Draft governance arrangements for the Brighter Future Transformation Programme had been drawn up and included:

·       Staffing Committee: to provide scrutiny of the Programme and receive reports on progress

·       Steering Group: to provide strategic direction, governance and provide assurance to the Council in terms of progress and outcomes

·       Programme Team: to deliver the Programme objectives and outcomes

·       Brighter Future Together Team: to provide challenge and act as a critical friend and staff voice to the design, implementation and embedding of the Programme

·       Members’ Forum: to provide a cross party political steer and joint advocacy of the Programme objective and outcomes in relation to elected members

·       Members’ Technology and Development Panel to ensure that any training for Members identified through the Programme is delivered and developed.

The Committee asked questions on how staff members would be selected for the Brighter Future Together Team; how would managers be encouraged to allow time for staff to participate in the Programme; provision of support for staff for any changes which come about as a result of the Programme, and sought assurance that if anyone raised issues such as bullying at the workshops that it was dealt properly.

Members of the Committee were requested by the Chairman to forward any further feedback and observations to the Chairman and the Head of Strategic HR.

RESOLVED: That

1        the presentation be received with enthusiasm and thanks; and

2        any further feedback to be sent to the Chairman and Head of Strategic HR by Thursday 29 March 2018.