Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Rachel Bailey, Gary Barton and Mike Parsons.

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

Councillors D Flude and L Jeuda declared they were retired members 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.

There were no members of the public present.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 24 January 2019.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 January 2019 be confirmed as a correct record.

To consider a report on the progress of the Council’s People Plan 2018-20 and on Health and Safety, Human Resources and Organisational Development items.

The Committee considered a report on the progress with the Council’s People Plan 2018/20.

The report provided details on the progress on the areas of work identified for three objectives linked to the Brighter Future Together Whole Organisation Transformation Programme.

The report also provided details on HR Performance Data for Quarter 4, which included headcount and employee turnover, voluntary redundancy and working days lost to sickness absence, and also a health and safety summary of accidents and incidents.

It was reported that to reflect the context of the HR team plan within the wider Workforce Strategy, the People Plan would be renamed the Workforce Strategy Action Plan.

Work on the HR policy review was progressing with 10 policies having been agreed with CLT, the Trade Unions and approved by the Portfolio Holder.  New policies for Disciplinary, Grievance and Dignity at Work had been launched and were supported by e-learning modules for staff, supervisors and managers.

The current number of days lost to sickness for 2018/19 was 10.31 days against the 10 day target, which was lower than every previous 12 month period between April 2011 and March 2018. 

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

To consider an update on the progress with the Brighter Future Together (Culture) Programme.

The Committee considered a report which provided an update on the Brighter Future Together (Culture) Programme. 

The overall delivery against the planned phases of the programme had been successfully completed, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the Report. 

Ten of the twelve recommendations from the Local Government Association report had been completed. Details of progress on these recommendations was detailed in Appendix 2.

A second pulse survey had been carried out between 25 February and 8 March 2019 with the results to be reviewed and any actions arising included in the embedding plan.  The progress of the Programme would be tested through the programme score card and with a full employee survey later in the year.

The successful completion of Staffing Committee’s assurance role was duly noted.

RESOLVED:

That the very good continued progress on the Brighter Future Together (Culture) Programme be noted.

To consider an update report on Wellbeing in Work.

The Committee considered a report on the Wellbeing in Work Strategy 2018-19.

A Wellbeing in Work week had been held in March, which had been well attended with over 600 staff taking part.  Staff were invited to undertake a health check measuring blood pressure, hydration, visceral fat levels and information and advice was provided on a range of health and wellbeing topics.  Further events would be scheduled for September so that staff are able to track their progress.

The Wellbeing in Work Staff Forums continued to meet, with the Forum in Sabdbach being the most proactive.  There had been limited participation in the Crewe and Nantwich Forum’s and support would be provided in 2019/20 to help staff develop initiatives to improve the environment and wellbeing in these buildings.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

To consider an update on the HR Workforce Strategy.

The Committee considered a report on the HR Workforce Strategy.

The Workforce Strategy set out the context and purpose in relation to realising the vision for workplace culture whilst delivering the strategic outcomes along with highlighting the links to the vision for the Council, the Corporate Plan, transformation plan and other business strategies.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

To note the urgent decision and to receive a verbal progress report on the recruitment of the Director of Governance and Compliance.

The Committee considered a report which detailed the appointment of the Interim Director of Governance and Compliance and received a verbal report on the recruitment of the Director of Governance and Compliance.

The new Corporate Services structure came into effect on 1 April 2019 and included a new post of Director of Governance and Compliance, whose role included that of monitoring officer.    As the appointment of monitoring officer would normally be made by Council, which would not be meeting until 22 May 2019, the Acting Chief Executive under the urgency procedure had taken the decision on the appointment of the Interim Director of Governance and Compliance.  There would have been an unacceptable risk to the Council to be without a monitoring officer for the period 1 April and 22 May 2019.

The Chairman gave an update on the appointment process for the Director of Governance and Compliance following the interviews undertaken by the Staffing Committee on 10 April 2019 and reported that the usual formalities for the preferred candidate were now being completed on a confidential basis.  it was expected that the preferred candidate would be recommended to Council on 22 May 2019 as per the process for a Statutory Officer.

RESOLVED:  That

1          that the urgent decision in relation to the appointment of the Interim Director of Governance and Compliance be noted and be reported to Council on 22 May 2019; and

2          the verbal update on the appointment of the Director of Governance and Compliance be noted.