Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Rod Eaton and Cllr John Noeken.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2010.  (Copy attached)

Resolved:

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 24 November 2010 as a correct record.

To receive any declarations of personal or prejudicial interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting.  Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named above for any further clarification.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question should give written notice (including details of any question) to the officer named above by  12.00noon on Tuesday 14 December 2010.

There were no members of the public present.

A report by the Service Director HR & OD is attached.

The Committee received a report by the Service Director HR & OD which provided an update on the management review.

It was noted that revised management structures had been developed with the aim of achieving savings of £8m from salary budgets.  This process had resulted in a number of management posts being deleted and some others created or changed as a result.  A total of 571 managers had been placed at risk of redundancy and following consultation meetings, managers at risk of redundancy had been given redundancy information packs which included an application form to apply for voluntary redundancy.  

142 requests for voluntary redundancy had been received. In order to achieve the £8m savings, 200 redundancies were being sought.  Once volunteers for redundancy had been accepted the remaining staff placed at risk would be subject to the appointments procedure after which any staff who remained displaced would be invited to volunteer for redundancy again.  The deadline for these applications would be 21 January 2011. 

Staff who did not volunteer, and were not redeployed by that date would be compulsory redundant and would be issued with their notice of dismissal on 11 February 2011.

Resolved:

To note the latest position.     

A report by the Service Director HR & OD is attached.

The Committee received a report by the Service Director HR & OD which provided an update on the trade union negotiations. 

It was noted that since July 2010 there had been a number of meetings with the trade unions recognised for negotiating changes to locally agreed terms and conditions of employment for staff subject to the National Joint Council terms and conditions, namely UNISON, UNITE and GMB.

The unions had been provided with detailed information about the savings required to be made from people costs by April 2011 and discussions were still ongoing.  A further meeting had been scheduled to take place with the unions on 15 December but this had been postponed until the financial settlement had been clarified.

The Committee received the views of the UNISON Branch Secretary who explained that whilst understanding the need for the savings proposed, some of the proposed changes to terms and conditions were not acceptable and were likely to be the subject of a ballot of members.   UNISON was prepared to negotiate but this could be a time consuming process.

Resolved:

To note the latest position.

A report by the Service Director HR & OD is attached.

On considering a report by the Service Director HR & OD,

Resolved:

(1)       To close the three suspended subsidised lease car schemes by 31 March 2012, with as many leases as possible ending between 1 July 2011 and 31 March 2012.

(2)       To authorise the issue of letters to all current lease car holders informing them that the schemes were being withdrawn and including:-

(a)   arrangements for returning their car, and 

(b)  details of the Salary Sacrifice Scheme (subject to Staffing Policy Committee approval) as a way of providing a replacement vehicle.

A report by the Service Director HR & OD is attached.

Consideration was given to a report by the Service Director HR & OD which recommended the introduction of a salary sacrifice scheme to lease cars be introduced to staff.

Resolved:  To agree:-

(1)       the introduction of a Salary Sacrifice Scheme for cars using the Pan Government Collaborative Framework Agreement operated by Tusker Direct, with the aim of implementing the scheme by the beginning of the next financial year (April 2011),

(2)       that national insurance savings be used, as needed, to offset the loss of employee pension contributions,

(3)       that a notional salary be kept for the same elements of pay that the Childcare Voucher Scheme keep a notional salary for, and

(4)       that the Salary Sacrifice Scheme for Cars is marketed as a ‘Green Car Scheme’.

A report by the Service Director HR & OD is attached.

On considering a report by the Service Director HR & OD,

Resolved:

(1)       To approve the revised absence management policy.

(2)       To request an update report on how the revised policy is working after six months in operation.

A report by the Service Director HR & OD is attached.

On considering a report by the Service Director HR & OD,

Resolved:

To approve the new business continuity report, subject to the following minor amendments to the policy document:-

(1)       the removal of ‘strike action’ from the section ‘When does it apply?’ because a separate procedure was being prepared on Strike Action Policy.

(2)       the repositioning of para 15  so as to be placed immediately after para 6.  

A report by the Service Director HR & OD is attached.

On considering a report by the Service Director HR & OD,

Resolved:

To approve the new death in service policy.

To note that the next three meetings are due to be held as follows, all starting at 10.30am:-

Wednesday 12 January 2011

Wednesday 9 February 2011

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Resolved:

(1)       To cancel the meeting scheduled to be held on Wednesday 12 January 2011 due to lack of business.

(2)       To note, as a consequence, that the next two meetings be held as follows, each starting at 10.30am:-

            Wednesday 9 February 2011

            Wednesday 9 March 2011

Any other items of business which, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered as a matter of urgency. Urgent items of a confidential nature may be considered under Part II of this agenda.

There were no urgent items.