Agenda and minutes

Notification of substitute members were recorded as set out below:

·        Cllr Cannon substituted for Cllr McDermott

In accordance with Council Procedure Rules 17.5 to 17.9 these Councillors had the same rights as the ordinary member of the committee for whom they were substituting.

Members are reminded of their obligation under the Council’s Code of Conduct to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Other Significant Interests in any matter(s) to be considered or being considered at the meeting. These are explained in the Code of Conduct on the Council’s website at Code of conduct for members – Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (tmbc.gov.uk).

Members in any doubt about such declarations are advised to contact Legal or Democratic Services in advance of the meeting.

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 3 July 2023.

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 3 July 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Following Members’ approval at the last meeting of the Committee to use market supplement and golden hello payments for specific hard to fill posts across the Planning department, this report presents a Market Supplement Policy for Members’ consideration.

The report of the Director of Central Services and Deputy Chief Executive presented a Market Supplement Policy for consideration.  At the meeting of the General Purposes Committee on 3 July 2023, Members approved the use of market supplements and golden hello payments for specific hard to fill posts across the Planning Department.  This was in response to issues with the recruitment and retention of staff as well as the budgetary pressures linked to employing agency locum staff.

The Recruitment and Retention Market Supplement Policy was attached at Annex 1 to the report and set out the criteria for identifying posts which might require a market supplement and/or a golden hello payment.  The draft policy further outlined the process and principles for agreeing a market supplement and/or a golden hello payment and the annual review process to determine whether payments should continue, be reduced or be removed.

Due regard was given to both the financial and non-financial considerations, legal implications, risk assessment and policy considerations.

During discussion an update was received on the recent recruitment campaign to recruit to a number of vacant posts across Planning Services.  Due to the potential impact of market supplements on the MTFS, it was felt appropriate that any market supplement or golden hello payment be agreed by Management Team in consultation with the Chair of the General Purposes Committee and the Cabinet Member for Finance and Housing.  Members requested that any market supplements be reported to the Committee for audit trail purposes.

RESOLVED: That the adoption of the Recruitment and Retention Market Supplement Policy, attached at Annex 1 to the report, be approved, subject to amendments to paragraphs 3.2 and 5.2 whereby the level of market supplement/golden hello payment ‘will be agreed by Management Team (in consultation with the Chair of the General Purposes Committee and the Cabinet Member for Finance and Housing) following a report and recommendation from the Head of HR and Development, compiled in conjunction with the relevant service manager and director’.

Members are asked to consider a request from Kings Hill Parish Council seeking to reduce the numbers of Parish Councillors that sit on their Parish Council.

The Committee were advised that the request from Kings Hill Parish Council for a Community Governance Review, had been withdrawn.

Following receipt of the final recommendations for the Constituency arrangements from the Boundary Commission for England, Members’ approval is sought on the commencement of a Polling District & Polling Place Review, which needs to be undertaken to implement any necessary changes to Polling Districts/Places.

Following receipt of the final recommendations for the Constituency arrangements, from the Boundary Commission for England, a Polling District and Polling Place Review needed to be undertaken to implement any necessary changes to Polling Districts/Places.  It was noted that the changes had to be implemented in time for a pending Parliamentary Election.

RESOLVED: That the commencement of the review of Polling Districts and Polling Places be noted and agreed.

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.

(Reasons: LGA 1972 - Sch 12A Paragraph 1 – Information relating to an individual.)

This report sets out for Members’ approval a number of establishment changes recommended by Management Team.  Members should note that, in accordance with adopted conventions, all of the savings/costs referred to in this report reflect the salary at the top of the scale/grade plus associated on costs.

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

The report set out for Members’ approval a number of establishment changes recommended by Management team.  Members noted that, in accordance with adopted conventions, all of the savings/costs referred to in the report reflected the salary at the top of the scale/grade plus associated on costs.

RESOLVED: That

(1)                                        a further temporary allowance be paid for 12 months to the Head of IT for the continued undertaking of the duties required of the Senior Information Risk Owner with effect 1 October 2023 – 30 September 2024, be noted;

(2)                                        the changes in hours relating to the Housing Technical Officer posts DV0908 from 29.6 to 37 hours per week and the changes to the hours of post DV0915 from 22.2 hours to 14.8 hours per week, be noted;

(3)                                        a full time, fixed term scale 5/6, Housing Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) fully funded post from the ‘New Burden’s’ fund, be noted;

(4)                                        the new proposed Building Control Technical team establishment set out in Annex 3 of the report with effect from 1 December 2023, be approved; 

(5)                                        post DJ0213, Building Control Technical Officer, scale 3/4, 29.5 hours per week with effect from 1 December 2023, be deleted;

(6)                                        a new Senior Technical Officer Building Control post, scale 5/6, 35.5 hours per week with effect from 1 December 2023, be created; and

(7)                                        the saving of £14,075 relating to the recent changes within the wider Building Control team to be ringfenced within the Planning salary budget, for a period of 12 months, be agreed.