| Item | Description | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| PART 1 - PUBLIC | ||
| GP 13/018 |
Declarations of interest. |
There were no declarations of interest made. |
| GP 13/019 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 4 February 2013 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. |
| GP 13/020 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the extraordinary meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 9 April 2013 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. |
| GP 13/021 |
Minutes |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the extraordinary meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 16 May 2013 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. |
| GP 13/022 |
Minutes of Electoral Review Working Group |
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Electoral Review Working Group held on 20 February 2013 be received and noted and the recommendations contained therein be adopted. |
| MATTERS FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL | ||
| GP 13/023 |
Members' Allowances |
The joint report of the Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Transformation sought approval for a slight amendment to the Scheme of Members' Allowances recommended by the Committee on 9 April (Minute GP 13/011) and subsequently adopted by the Council on 16 April 2013. This involved the introduction of the concept of "joint Vice-Chairs" to accommodate the two Vice-Chairmen appointments made to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at the Annual Council meeting. It was noted that the Independent Remuneration Panel had been consulted on the proposed change. RECOMMENDED: That the concept of "joint Vice-Chairs" be introduced into the Scheme of Members' Allowances together with the associated special responsibility allowance. *Referred to Council |
| GP 13/024 |
Human Resources Strategy Update |
The report of the Director of Central Services updated the Committee on progress in achieving the improvement priorities in the Human Resources Strategy for 2012/13 and identified actions to be implemented in the period April 2013 - March 2014. 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 |
| GP 13/025 |
Review of Surveillance Policy |
The report of the Director of Central Services reviewed the Council's Corporate Guidance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and the key changes to the policy were highlighted. A copy of the report of the Office of the Surveillance Commissioners on the inspection of the Council carried out in November 2011 contained exempt information and appeared in the private part of the agenda (Minute GP 13/028). It was noted that the Council had little resort to covert surveillance, adopting instead a policy of carrying out overt surveillance wherever possible and this approach had been praised by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioners. The sole recommendation arising from the inspection report related to the training of another authorising officer to provide a degree of resilience and ensure that the Council could act in urgent cases. It was noted that this had been addressed in paragraph 7 of the amended policy. RECOMMENDED: That (1) the conclusions in the report be endorsed; and (2) the revised guidance set out at Annex 1 to the report be approved. *Referred to Council |
| DECISIONS TAKEN UNDER DELEGATED POWERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 3 (OR 2), PART 3 OF THE CONSTITUTION | ||
| GP 13/026 |
Annual Governance Statement and Statement of Accounts 2012/13 |
The Director of Finance and Transformation reported that the Annual Governance Statement for the year ended 31 March 2013 and the unaudited Accounts for 2012/13 had been endorsed and recommended for approval by the Audit Committee on 8 April and 17 June 2013 respectively. It was noted that that Committee had agreed to reinstate reference in the Annual Governance Statement to an annual report in respect of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The unaudited Accounts for 2012/13 were presented in the format specified by the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom 2012/13. Members were advised that the Accounts included the proposals recommended to the Cabinet on 19 June 2013. Attention was drawn to the more significant changes applying to the 2012/13 financial year. RESOLVED: That (1) the Annual Governance Statement for the year ending 31 March 2013 be endorsed to accompany the 2012/13 Statement of Accounts; (2) the Statement provided by the Director of Finance and Transformation 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 1.6.3 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 2012/13 be received and approved and the Chairman be authorised to sign the Accounts in the appropriate place. |
| GP 13/027 |
Whistleblowing Charter |
The joint report of the Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Transformation presented a draft Whistleblowing Charter (Confidential Reporting Code) designed to comply with recognised best practice. It was noted that the review of the charter coincided with an update of the Council web pages dealing with fraud together with an e-learning fraud awareness package that would be distributed to staff in the near future. The Whistleblowing Code had been considered by the Audit Committee at its meeting on 17 June 2013 and commended for endorsement subject to an amendment to simplify the wording of Section 5.2. RESOLVED: That the draft Whistleblowing Code set out at Annex 1 to the report be endorsed subject to the amendment of Section 5.2 to read: "If you feel that you have an issue that you cannot raise with your manager, then you should contact one of the following ..." |
| MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION IN PRIVATE | ||
| GP 13/028 |
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 | ||
| MATTERS FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL | ||
| GP 13/029 |
Review of Surveillance Policy - Office of Surveillance Commissioners Inspection Report (Reason: LGA 1972 Sch 12A Para 7 - Prevention, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences) |
The Office of Surveillance Commissioners Inspection Report was submitted (Minute GP 13/025 refers). |
| DECISIONS TAKEN UNDER DELEGATED POWERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 3 (OR 2), PART 3 OF THE CONSTITUTION | ||
| GP 13/030 |
Leisure Services Business Unit - Senior Management Structure (Reason: LGA 1972 Sch 12A Para 1 - Information relating to an individual) |
The report of the Director of Street Scene and Leisure set out two proposed amendments to the Leisure Services Business Unit senior management establishment in response to the Council's decision to create a new Leisure Trust. RESOLVED: That (1) the post of Chief Executive for the new Leisure Trust be established with a salary range of £65,000 to £70,000 per annum; (2) with effect from 25 June 2013 the Leisure Contracts Manager be seconded into the post of Chief Executive of the new Leisure Trust; (3) following the Council's formal agreement to the transfer arrangements to the new Trust, the Leisure Contracts Manager be permanently appointed to the post of Chief Executive of the Leisure Trust and the post of Leisure Contracts Manager be deleted from the establishment; (4) the post of Group Business Manager for the new Leisure Trust be established with a salary range of £40,000 to £45,000 per annum; (5) with effect from 25 June 2013 the Finance & Business Manager be seconded into the post of Group Business Manager for the new Leisure Trust; and (6) following the Council's formal agreement to the transfer arrangements to the new Trust the Finance & Business Manager be permanently appointed to the post of Group Business Manager of the Leisure Trust and the post of Finance & Business Manager be deleted from the establishment. |
| GP 13/031 |
New Directorates - Administration Support (Reason: LGA 1972 Sch 12A Para 1 - Information relating to an individual) |
The joint report of the Director of Street Scene and Leisure and Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health gave details of proposals to create a combined administration team to support the new Planning, Housing and Environmental Health and Street Scene and Leisure Directorates. The Committee was advised that the proposed structure was designed to build around existing arrangements ensuring continued customer and staff support into the future and improving both efficiency and resilience. RESOLVED: That (1) with immediate effect: 1. the re-grading of posts previously agreed by Management Team be noted; 2. Post DG3010 (Administration Assistant 18.5 hours scale 2/3) be deleted from the establishment ; 3. Post DE0504 (Administration Support Officer (Transportation) 37 hours, scale 2/3) be deleted from the establishment; (2) with effect from 1 July 2013: 1. a consolidated Administrative Team for the service areas listed in the report be set up headed up by the Administration Manager (post DG0008); 2. a new Senior Administration Assistant post be established (scale 3/4, 37 hours); 3. the post holder of post XX2406 be transferred into the new role of Senior Administration Assistant; 4. the established contractual hours of post DG3008 Administrative Assistant (scale 2/3) be confirmed as 26.5 hours per week; 5. the established contractual hours of post DG3003 Administrative Assistant (scale 2/3) be confirmed as 15 hours per week; 6. the established contractual hours of post DG3007 Administrative Assistant (scale 2/3) be confirmed as 22 hours per week; and (3) an additional budget of £11,200 to cover the costs of the additional hours during 2013/14 be confirmed, during which time the effects of technological improvement and channel shift can be evaluated. |