Agenda and minutes

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests in any item on the agenda

No interests were declared.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the meeting. 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 are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide three clear working days’ notice, in writing, in order for an informed answer to be given.

There were no members of the public present.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 30^th December 2009.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 30^th December 2009 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a change to the notice periods of Chief Officers employed by Cheshire East Council.

The Cabinet Member considered a proposed change to the notice periods of Chief Officers employed by Cheshire East Council.

The Council’s terms and conditions currently mirrored the legacy Cheshire County Council terms and conditions and did not reflect good practice elsewhere in the public and private sectors of offering equal periods of notice on either side.  Current notice periods ranged from zero to 12 weeks’ notice with continuous service.

In order that the Council continued to attract and retain employees in key management and leadership roles in an increasingly competitive market., it was proposed that for Chief Officers, the notice period become 3 months on either side.

RESOLVED

That  the notice periods for JNC Chief Officers (grade 13 and above) become 3 months on either side, in line with the Conditions of Service stated in the Chief Officer Handbook and recognised good practice across the public and private sectors.

To consider an amendment to the policy on Relocation Expenses for External Candidates for Cheshire East.

The Cabinet Member considered a proposed amendment to the policy on Relocation Expenses for External Candidates for Cheshire East.

A number of the initial and senior appointments to Cheshire East Council had attracted external candidates who, potentially, would be required to relocate to the area if appointed. As an interim solution, the new Cheshire East Policy had been adapted from the existing County Council Policy and only allowed for assistance towards expenditure arising from a move (from temporary accommodation to a permanent home, as well as for the initial move to temporary accommodation), provided that the second move occurred within 12 months of the first move.

In the current economic climate, with its effects on the housing market, it could be perceived to be restrictive and unrealistic to expect a new appointee to achieve a sale and purchase within a 12 month period, irrespective of whether they had chosen to rent temporary accommodation as a short term solution. It was proposed, therefore, that the time limit allowed within the policy to achieve a permanent house move be amended from one year to two years.

RESOLVED

That  the Relocation Expenses for External Candidates Policy be amended to increase the time limit allowed for a permanent house move from one year to two years.