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 28 January 2019

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 28 January 2019 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Human Resources Strategy (HR Strategy) provides an overview of the Council’s approach to managing its employees.  It is updated annually to identify “improvement priorities”, such as changes to the Council’s personnel policies.

The report of the Director of Central Services advised that the Human Resources Strategy (HR Strategy) provided an overview of the Council’s approach to managing its employees and that it was updated annually to identify “improvement priorities”.  The updated HR Strategy, set out at Annex 1 to the report, reviewed progress in achieving the improvement priorities identified for April 2018 to March 2019 and identified actions to be implemented in 2019/20.  It also gave details of the outcome of equality monitoring of staffing issues in 2018/19 as required by the Equality Act 2010. 

In considering the age distribution of staff, Members discussed ways of encouraging the employment and retention of more young people.  Officers undertook to investigate and report back on the possibility of subsidising public transport to the council offices.

RECOMMENDED:  That the outcomes of the equality monitoring set out in Section 4 of the HR Strategy be noted and the actions listed in Section 5 of the strategy (Workforce Development Plan April 2019 – March 2020) be adopted by the Council. 

*Referred to Council

To consider a request for a dispensation under section 33 of the Localism Act 2011 to enable Councillor Mark Davis to continue to participate in meetings of the Area 1 Planning Committee, the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board and other meetings where the Local Plan is under consideration.

Further to Minutes GP 16/19 and GP 18/22, Members considered a request for a dispensation under section 33 of the Localism Act 2011 to enable Councillor Mark Davis to continue to participate in meetings of the Area Planning Committees, the Planning and Transportation Advisory Board and other meetings where the Local Plan was under consideration in circumstances where he would otherwise be required to declare an Other Significant Interest (by virtue of being a partner in Warners Solicitors and having a client of the firm with an interest in the matter under consideration) and leave the room having taken no part in the discussion or vote.

It was noted that Councillor Davis did not seek a dispensation to vote on any such reports but sought permission to be allowed to address the meeting, remain in the room and hear the discussions.  The grounds for the original request for the dispensation were set out in Annex 1 to the report for ease of reference.

The report gave details of the circumstances and procedures in the Council’s Constitution for granting dispensations under the Localism Act and provided a review of the previously agreed dispensation.  It was noted that the two current Independent Persons had been consulted on the continuation of the dispensation.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             dispensation be granted to allow Councillor M Davis to remain in the meetings of the Area Planning Committees, Planning and Transportation Advisory Board, Cabinet and Full Council where the Local Plan is discussed (in circumstances where he would otherwise be required to declare an Other Significant Interest) to listen to, but not participate in, the debate or vote on the matter in hand.  In addition, Councillor Davis would have the right to address the meeting but would not be permitted to take part further in the discussions; and

(2)             the dispensation remain in effect until the next local elections in 2023.

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

The report sets out for Members’ approval a number of establishment changes recommended by Management Team. 

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

The report of the Management Team set out for noting and approval a number of establishment changes arising from the ongoing operational management of the Borough Council’s services.

RESOLVED:  That

(A)  the following establishment adjustments, as set out in the report, be noted:

(1)                 the grade attaching to Civil Enforcement Officer posts DE0402, DE0403, DE0404, DE0405, DE0406, DE0409, DE0410 and DE0411, 37 hours per week, be increased from scale 1/3 to scale 4 with effect from 21 May 2019;

(2)                 the grade attaching to post DE0401, Senior Civil Enforcement Officer, 37 hours per week, be increased from scale 5/6 to scale 6 with effect from 21 May 2019;

(3)                 the grade attaching to the role of Civil Enforcement Supervisor posts DE0407 and DE0412, 37 hours per week, be increased from scale 4 to scale 5 with effect from 21 May 2019;

(4)                 the extension of the expiry date for the temporary arrangement pertaining to the role of  Waste Contract Officer post DG2098 scale 6, 37 hours per week, until 31 January 2020 be noted;

(5)                 the extension of the expiry date for the temporary arrangements pertaining to the post DG2003 whereby the post has temporarily been re-designated Waste Services Manager and re-graded M8, 37 hours per week, to 31 December 2019 be noted;

(6)                 the re-designation and extension of the hours of the temporary post of  Waste and Enforcement Support Officer post DG2097 scale 5, from 22.5 hours per week to Waste Services Officer 37 hours per week, and the extension of this contract to 31 December 2019 be noted;

(7)                 the extension of the temporary arrangements for the role of  Senior/Waste and Enforcement Support Officer post DG2099, scale 6, 21.5 hours per week, to 31 December 2019 be noted:

(8)                 the extension of the temporary post of Special Projects Officer post DF0597 grade 5/6, 37 hours per week, until 31 March 2020 be noted;

(9)                 the extension of the temporary post of Revenues and Visiting Assistant DF0998 scale 2/3/4, 37 hours per week, until 31 March 2020 be noted; and

(10)             the financial impact of the changes outlined in the report be noted as growth of £36,675 and a consequent increase by this amount in the savings target.

(B)     the following recommendations be approved:

(1)                 post DJ0318 be permanently re-designated Principal Planning Officer M8, from Senior Planning Officer M9, and established at 22.5 hours per week with immediate effect;

(2)                 post DG0199 Ranger, 18.5 hours per week, scale 2, be deleted from the establishment with effect from 3 June 2019; and

(3)                 the hours attaching to post DG0109 Park Ranger scale 4 be increased from 22.5 to 37 per week with effect from 3 June 2019.