Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Mike Hewitt and Cllr David Jenkins who was substituted by Cllr Peter Colmer.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 2010 (Copy attached)

Resolved:

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 19 May 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 12.00 noon on Monday 26 July 2010.

There were no members of the public present.

The Committee received a report by the Service Director, HR & OD which set out details about the new approval to recruit process which had been implemented on 25 June 2010.

After discussion,

Resolved:

To note the change to the recruitment procedure but to request that the Approval to Recruit Form be slightly amended to include a request for information showing any effect on front line services should the post be not filled.

Consideration was given to a report by the Service Director, HR & OD which sought approval to the proposed Trade Union Recognition and Facilities Agreement.

It was noted that prior to 1 April 2009, each of the five previous Wiltshire authorities had separate Recognition Agreements with UNISON, GMB and UNITE.  These arrangements differed and accordingly the former Implementation Executive agreed interim arrangements in December 2008 which had recently been reviewed for which approval was now being sought.

The Committee received the views of the UNISON Branch Secretary in support of the proposals and after discussion,

RESOLVED:

(a)       To approve a request from UNISON that the number of days per month (dedicated secondment time of staff to undertake trade union activities) be increased from 68 to 80, which could result in backfill by the employing department.

(b)       To approve the proposed Trade Union Recognition and Facilities Agreement, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.   

(c)       To agree the continued funding of £38,000, which currently backfilled the two UNISON Trade Union Official roles of Branch Secretary and Branch Organiser.

(d)       To request that systematic recording of approved time off be continued and that a report on this be presented to this Committee in six months’ time.

(e)       To review the Agreement in 12 months’ time.

The Committee received quarterly workforce reports excluding schools for the quarter ended 31 March 2010 concerning:-

Workforce Age Profile

Employee Diversity

Sickness Absence

Health and Safety

Voluntary Staff Turnover

Disciplinary and Grievance Cases

Members expressed their appreciation of the new simplified and concise format which was considered to be much easier to understand.            

After discussion,

Resolved:

(1)       To note the contents of the report.

(2)       To note with some concern the level of staff turnover during the first year of employment and to request that managers make every effort to establish reasons for this.

(3)       To reinforce the need for the carrying out of exit interviews.   

(4)       To request that quarterly management information be emailed to members of this Committee quarterly at the same time as the information was made available to departments.

Consideration was given to a report by the Service Director, HR & OD which,

(1)       set out workforce and recruitment information for the year relating to 2009/10, 

(2)       identified the actions that Wiltshire Council had and was continuing to take to meet both statutory requirements and the Council’s employment commitments under the Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes, and

(3)       the implications arising from the forthcoming Equality Act 2010. 

An additional paper was received which set out further details of actions to be taken, as appended to these minutes.

During the following debate, Members of the Committee considered that the Council should attempt to improve on its employment of disabled persons.  It was noted that the Disability Forum regularly reviewed the position which was considered to be a very useful mechanism.

Resolved:  To note the contents of the report.  

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

Resolved:  To approve the following revised policies, subject to minor amendment:-

(i)         Dignity at Work Policy & Procedure

(ii)        Time to Train Policy

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.

To consider passing the following resolution:

To agree that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in item 13 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in  paragraph 4 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

Resolved: 

To agree that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in Minute No. 36 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 4 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

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

Resolved:  To approve the recommendations as detailed in the report presented, subject to minor amendments to the project objectives.