| Item | Description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| PART 1 - PUBLIC | ||
| GP 12/011 |
Declarations of interest. |
There were no declarations of interest made. |
| GP 12/012 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 30 January 2012 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. |
| MATTERS FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL | ||
| GP 12/013 |
Human Resources Strategy Update |
The report of the Central Services Director updated the Committee on progress in achieving the improvement priorities in the Human Resources Strategy between April 2011 and March 2012. It was noted that all the identified actions had been achieved and an indication was given of actions to be implemented in 2012/13. The updated Strategy also contained the statutory equality monitoring required by the Equality Act 2010. RECOMMENDED: That the outcomes of the equality monitoring reported in section 5 of the Human Resources Strategy, as set out in Annex 1 to the report, be noted and the actions listed in section 6 thereof be commended to the Council. *Referred to Council |
| DECISIONS TAKEN UNDER DELEGATED POWERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 3 (OR 2), PART 3 OF THE CONSTITUTION | ||
| GP 12/014 |
Updates to Flexible Retirement Policy |
The Central Services Director presented an updated Flexible Retirement Policy which reflected the outcomes of an Equality Impact Assessment. Attention was drawn to the formal guidance within section 2 of the policy on the procedure to be followed by those requesting flexible retirement together with the benchmark against which requests would be assessed. It was noted that the updated policy had been endorsed by both the Corporate Equalities Monitoring Group and the Joint Employee Consultative Committee. RESOLVED: That the updated Flexible Retirement Policy set out at Annex 3 to the report be adopted by the Council. |
| GP 12/015 |
Updates to the Sickness Absence Policy |
The report of the Central Services Director advised that as a result of qualitative research undertaken as part of programmed Equality Impact Assessments, some proposed amendments had been made to the Sickness Absence Policy. It was noted that the revised policy had been endorsed by the Management Team and the Joint Employee Consultative Committee. RESOLVED: That the updated Sickness Absence Policy set out at Annex 2 to the report be adopted by the Council. |
| GP 12/016 |
Regrading of the Post of Licensing Officer |
The report of the Central Services Director advised that following a review of the Licensing team, a rationalisation of staffing within the section was proposed. This involved the deletion of the post of Licensing Investigations Officer and redesignation and regrading of the post of Licensing Inspector to Licensing Officer. Both posts were currently vacant and had been covered by officers from Gravesham Borough Council although both authorities had agreed that the joint arrangement should end as soon as practical. RESOLVED: That (1) post DR0403 (Licensing Inspector) be regraded to scale 4/5 and redesignated Licensing Officer; and (2) the Licensing Investigations Officer post (DR0404) be deleted from the establishment. |
| GP 12/017 |
Annual Governance Statement and Statement of Accounts 2011/12 |
The Director of Finance reported that the Annual Governance Statement for the year ended 31 March 2012 and the unaudited Accounts for 2011/12 had been endorsed and recommended for approval by the Audit Committee on 10 April and 18 June 2012 respectively. The unaudited Accounts for 2011/12 were presented in the format specified by the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom 2011/12. It was noted that the Accounts included the proposals recommended to the Cabinet on 20 June 2012. Members were advised that this was the second year that the Accounts were required to be prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards. Attention was drawn to the more significant changes applying to the 2011/12 financial year including the increase in pension deficit and the introduction of the asset class, Heritage assets. RESOLVED: That (1) the Annual Governance Statement for the year ending 31 March 2012 be endorsed to accompany the 2011/12 Statement of Accounts; (2) the Statement provided by the Director of Finance in support of assertions made in the Statement of Responsibilities for the Statement of Accounts, as set out at Annex 2 to the report, be noted and endorsed; (3) the recommendations detailed at paragraph 1.7.3 of the report following a review of the specific earmarked reserves held by the Council be noted and endorsed; and (4) the unaudited set of Accounts for 2011/12 be received and approved and the Chairman be authorised to sign the Accounts in the appropriate place. |
| GP 12/018 |
Confidential Reporting Code "Whistleblowing" |
The report of the Director of Finance presented a review of the Confidential Reporting Code which had been commended for endorsement by the Audit Committee on 18 June 2012. It was noted that no amendments to the current version of the code approved in June 2011 had been identified as necessary. RESOLVED: That the Confidential Reporting Code set out at the Annex to the report be endorsed. |
| GP 12/019 |
Compliance with International Standards on Auditing |
The report of the former Chairman of the Committee summarised the way in which the Audit Committee exercised oversight of the processes for identifying and reporting on the risk of fraud in order to comply with International Standards on Auditing (UK & I). Details were given of assurances to the District Auditor which had been considered and commended by the Audit Committee at its meeting on 10 April 2012. Reference was also made to the assurance provided by the Management Team in that regard. RESOLVED: That the responses set out at Annex 1 to the report be endorsed and the assurance of compliance with the standards be agreed. |
| MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION IN PRIVATE | ||
| GP 12/020 |
Exclusion of Press and Public |
The Chairman moved, it was seconded and RESOLVED: That as public discussion would disclose exempt information, the following matters be considered in private. |
| PART 2 - PRIVATE | ||
| DECISIONS TAKEN UNDER DELEGATED POWERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 3 (OR 2), PART 3 OF THE CONSTITUTION | ||
| GP 12/021 |
Leisure Services Business Unit - Staffing Issues (Reason: LGA 1972 Sch 12A Para 1 - Information relating to an individual) |
The report of the Chief Leisure Officer outlined a range of staffing issues within the Leisure Services Business Unit associated with operational changes previously considered by the Leisure and Arts Advisory Board. RESOLVED: That the proposed staff changes within the Leisure Services Business Unit, as set out in the report, be approved on the following basis: (1) Larkfield Leisure Centre Creche staff changes, with effect from 1 September 2012; (2) Angel Centre Plant Engineer - permanent arrangements, back dated to 1 July 2012; (3) new post of Courses Co-ordinator, with effect from 1 September 2012; and (4) Swimming Teachers - implementation of permanent contracts of employment, with effect from 1 September 2012 and approval of flexibility to increase and decrease the range of permanent contracts in future within the identified wet side coaching budget. |