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 19 June 2019

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 19 June 2019 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman subject to the amendment of Minute GP 19/13 (1) by the insertion of a semi-colon and the word “and” after “Area Planning Committees”.

The report presents a new Disclosure and Barring Service Policy (DBS) for consideration.

The report of the Director of Central Services referred to a review by Internal Audit of the Council’s safeguarding procedures which resulted in a recommendation to adopt a standalone policy on ensuring that staff had the relevant level of DBS check.  A new Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Policy was accordingly presented for consideration.  This defined the different types of disclosure and regulated activity against which all posts must be considered and a full list of Council posts requiring a DBS check was set out in Annex 2 to the report.

RECOMMENDED:  That the new DBS Policy, as set out at Annex 1 to the report, be adopted as a standalone policy separate from the Safeguarding Policy.

*Referred to Council

As part of a regular review of policies and to take account of various issues that have arisen in the past few months, a number of amendments to existing HR policies and procedures are proposed.

The report of the Director of Central Services gave details of proposed changes to a number of Human Resources policies and procedures which had arisen from the regular review of policies and took account of various issues that had emerged in the past few months.  It was noted that the changes had been considered by the Management Team and Joint Employee Consultative Committee.

RESOLVED:  That the amendments to the following policies and procedures set out in paragraphs 1.1.2 to 1.1.7 of the report be endorsed:

Reorganisation, Redundancy and Redeployment Procedure

Recruitment and Selection Policy, Procedure and Guidance

Sickness Absence Policy and Procedures

Flexible Retirement Policy

Flexible Working and Time-Off Policy

Guidance regarding Automatic Termination of Casual Working Arrangements.

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 the Management Team.

(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.

It was noted that this was the last meeting of the Committee to be attended by Charlie Steel, Personnel Manager, prior to his retirement and Members’ thanks were recorded for his contribution to the Council over many years.

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

(1)          post DG0008, Administration Manager 37 hours per week be regraded from M8 to M7 with immediate effect;

(2)          the post of Leisure Services Officer be permanently established at 37 hours on a Senior Officer grade with effect from 1 October 2019;

(3)          post DJ0162 Principal Planning Officer, 37 hours per week, M8 be deleted with immediate effect;

(4)          two full time Higher Level Planning Apprenticeship posts scale 3/4 be established with immediate effect;

(5)          the hours attached to post DJ0158, Technical Officer scale 3/4 be increased from 24 to 25.5 hours per week with immediate effect;

(6)          the hours of post DJ0156 Technical Officer, scale 3/4 be reduced from 33.5 to 32 hours per week with immediate effect;

(7)          post DB0306, Senior Customer Services Advisor, scale 3/4 20.5 hours per week be deleted with immediate effect;

(8)          post DB0307, Senior Customer Services Advisor, scale 2/3 16.5 hours per week be deleted with immediate effect;

(9)          post DB0308 Customer Services Advisor scale 2/3 25.5 hours per week be re-designated and re-graded Senior Customer Services Advisor, scale 3/4, and the hours attached to this post be increased to 26 per week with immediate effect;

(10)       the hours attached to post DB0309 Customer Services Advisor scale 2/3 be increased from 17.5 to 23 per week with immediate effect;

(11)       post DB0399 Customer Services Assistant scale 1/2 be re-designated Customer Services Advisor, regraded 2/3, and the hours attached to this post be increased from 8 to 12 per week with immediate effect;

(12)       post DA1001 Building & Facilities Manager M6, 3 days per week be deleted with immediate effect;

(13)       post DA0216 Administration Officer scale 2/3, 21 hours per week be deleted with immediate effect;

(14)       the hours attached to post DA0218, Administration Officer scale 3/4 be increased from 28 to 32 with immediate effect;

(15)       post DA1102 Corporate Support Manager 37 hours per week, M7 be deleted with immediate effect;

(16)       a new post of Head of Buildings, Facilities and Administration Services, M6, 37 hours per week be created with immediate effect;

(17)       a new post of Property Services Officer scale 6/SO, 37 hours per week be created with immediate effect;

(18)          the saving of £9,709 arising from the structural changes in the Building and Estates, and Administration Teams in Central Services, be ring-fenced pending further reviews of these services;

(19)          post DB0002 Personnel Manager M6 15 hours per week be deleted with effect from 1 January 2020;

(20)          post  ...  view the full minutes text for item GP 19/21