Agenda and minutes

Notification of substitute members were recorded as set out below:

Cllr Cannon substituted for Cllr D Davis

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 ordinary meeting of General Purposes Committee held on 25 January 2023 and the Minutes of the extraordinary meeting of General Purposes Committee held on 20 February 2023.

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meetings of the General Purposes Committee held on 25 January and 20 February 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

This report summarises the legislative context for gender pay gap reporting, and incorporates the outcomes of the Council’s gender pay gap analysis for 2021-2022.

The report of the Director of Central Services summarised the legislative context for gender pay gap reporting and incorporated the outcomes of the Borough Council’s gender pay gap analysis for 2021-2022.

Overall, during the most recent twelve month period there had been a negative shift in the mean pay gap and a marginal positive shift in the median pay gap.  It was noted that both the mean and median pay gaps had narrowed by approximately 1.4% and 3.7% respectively since figures were first published in 2017.

It was also noted that the Borough Council’s Chief Executive was female and that the majority (60%) of the Senior Management Team were female.

During discussion, Members requested information on the rate that women were promoted within the organisation and noted that the Borough Council continued to support a range of initiatives for both men and women including flexible working, remote working, job sharing, part-time working and flexible retirement.

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.

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)             the increase in hours of post DF1117 Overpayment Recovery Assistant from 22.2 to 30 per week with effect from 1 April 2023 be approved;

(2)             the Financial Services Manager (DF0201) post be deleted from the establishment with effect from 1 June 2023;

(3)             a new Principal Accountant post on grade M6 be created with effect from 1 June 2023;

(4)             post DF0209 be redesignated to Senior Accountant and regraded to M9 with effect from 1 June 2023;

(5)             the deletion of posts DB0349, DB0350 and DB0342 from the establishment and the creation of one new full time Customer Service Adviser post at scale 2/3 to be based at Tonbridge Castle with effect from 1 April 2023 be approved;

(6)             the post of Parking Support Manager (DE0513) be increased to 37 hours per week with effect from 1 April 2023; and

(7)             the hours of the Parking Support Officer (DE0503) post be reduced from 37 to 29.6 hours with effect from 1 April 2023.