Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest made in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of General Purposes Committee held on 20 November 2017

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 20 November 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The report of the Director of Central Services advised that the Localism Act 2011 required local authorities to review their pay policy statements for each financial year.  The report summarised the requirements of the Act and presented an updated Pay Policy Statement for 2018/19.  It was noted that there had been no changes in the Council’s remuneration policy and the substantive content of the updated statement was identical to that adopted by the Council in February 2012. 

RECOMMENDED:  That the Pay Policy Statement 2018/19 set out in Annex 1 to the report be commended for adoption by the Council.

* Referred to Council

Consideration was given to the report of the Chief Executive which examined a range of factors relevant to the issue of a pay award for employees in 2018/19.  These included prevailing economic conditions, comparative pay settlements, movement in the retail price and consumer price indices and the Council’s budget position.

Reference was made to the provision for pay inflation of 2% in the Medium Term Financial Strategy and the need for the Council to maintain the ability to recruit and motivate staff with the appropriate skills to meet the employment challenges ahead.  Members were advised that employees had been fully informed of the financial challenges facing the authority through the Joint Employee Consultative Committee and Unison.  It was proposed to offer a 2% award for 2018/19 in line with the national offer (upon which agreement had not yet been reached).  It was noted that there was nothing to preclude a further report to the Committee should the national pay agreement prove different to the current offer. 

RESOLVED:  That a 2% pay award from 1 April 2018 be approved.

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation gave details of the outcome of the annual review of the Council’s Whistleblowing Policy and its consideration by the Audit Committee on 22 January 2018.  The Committee noted that the Policy, once approved, would be circulated to all staff with computer access and made available on the Council website.

RESOLVED:  That the Whistleblowing Policy set out at Annex 1 to the report be approved.

The report of the Director of Central Services summarised the legislative context for gender pay gap reporting and incorporated the outcomes of the gender pay gap analysis for 2016/17.

RESOLVED:  That the outcomes of the gender pay gap analysis, as set out in section 1.2 of the report, be noted.

The Chairman to move that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting during consideration of any items the publication of which would disclose exempt information.

The Chairman moved, it was seconded and

RESOLVED:  That as public discussion would disclose exempt information, the following matters be considered in private.

LGA 1972 Sch 12A Paragraph 1 – Information relating to an individual

(LGA 1972 Sch 12A Paragraph 1 – Information relating to an individual)

The report of the Director of Central Services set out for approval a number of establishment changes arising from the ongoing operational management of the Council’s services.

RESOLVED:  That the proposals and establishment adjustments set out in the report be endorsed as follows:

(1)                                          the extension of the grades attaching to posts DG0009, DJ0003, and DF0101 (from 3/4 to 3/4/5) from 1 December 2017;

(2)                                        the establishment of a new Civil Enforcement Officer Supervisor post, scale 4, 37 hours per week with effect from 1 February 2018;

(3)                                        the hours of the Senior Administration Officer post DE0513 scale 4/5 be reduced from 37 to 22.5 per week with effect from 1 February 2018;

(4)                                          the hours of the Administration Officer post DE0505 scale 2/3 be reduced from 25 to 22.5 per week with effect from 1 February 2018;

(5)                                          the establishment of a temporary scale 6 Senior Waste & Enforcement Support Officer 21.5 hours per week with immediate effect until 31 March 2019;

(6)                                        the increase in the hours of post DG02013 Waste & Enforcement Support Officer scale 4 from 15 to 30.5 hours per week with effect from 1 February 2018;

(7)                                        the deletion of post DG2014 Waste & Enforcement Support Officer scale 4, 15.5 hours per week with effect from 1 February 2018;

(8)                                        the establishment of the post of Emergency Planning & Business Continuity Support Officer grade SO, 15 hours a week with effect from 1 February 2018;

(9)                                          the creation of a budget of £35,000 to fund anticipated enhancements to the Council’s staff emergency call out arrangements, and the delegation of authority to Management Team to determine the details of these arrangements;  

(10)                               the reduction of the hours of post DB0201 Personnel & Development Manager from 37 to 22.5 per week with effect from the commencement of the employment of the new Personnel Adviser;

(11)                               the establishment of a post of Personnel Adviser, 37 hours per week, M9 with effect from 1 February 2018;

(12)                               the hours of post DA1001 Building & Facilities Manager, M6 be reduced from 37 to 22.5 per week with effect from 1 February 2018;

(13)                               the balance of £5,957 remaining from the re-structure within Central Services be ring fenced pending further adjustments to the establishment;

(14)                               the reduction in the hours of post DF0528 Overpayment Recovery Assistant  scale 3/4 from 37 to 22.5 hours per week with effect from 1 April 2018;

(15)                               the deletion of vacant post Clerical Support Officer DF0513 scale 1/2, 20 hours per week with effect from 1 February 2018;

(16)                               a new post of Overpayment Recovery Clerk scale 1/2, 37 hours per week be established with effect from 1 February 2018;

(17)                               the post of Systems and Support Manager DF0521 SO/M9 be deleted with effect from 1 February 2018;

(18)                               a new post of Revenue & Benefits Business Support Manager M8, 37 hours per week be created with effect from 1 February 2018 and the existing incumbent of post DF0521 be  ...  view the full minutes text for item GP 18/8