Agenda and minutes

Notification of substitute members were recorded as set out below:

·       Cllr R Betts substitute for Cllr M Coffin

·       Cllr M Tatton substitute for Cllr Banks

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 22 January 2025.

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 22 January 2025 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The new Workforce Development Strategy sets out how the Borough Council will support, develop and manage its workforce to ensure the successful delivery of its strategic priorities. The report seeks approval of the consultation draft of the Workforce Development Strategy 2025-2028 as set out at Annex 1 to the report.

The report of the Director of Central Services and Deputy Chief Executive introduced the new Workforce Development Strategy 2025-2028 which set out how the Council would support, develop and manage its workforce to ensure the successful delivery of its strategic priorities.

The Workforce Strategy was updated last in June 2022, and a significant number of new workforce initiatives had occurred since, leading to a requirement to comprehensively overview the Strategy.  The adoption of a new well-defined Workforce Development Strategy was crucial in creating a motivated, skilled and engaged workforce that could meet the challenges of the future and the Strategy reflected the Council’s commitment to investing in its employees, ensuring that they were equipped to meet current and future challenges, including Local Devolution and the evolving demands on services.

RESOLVED: That

(1)        the new draft Workforce Development Strategy 2025-28, at Annex 1, be approved for consultation; and

(2)        in the event that no substantive changes were proposed to the Strategy following consultation with staff, that authority be delegated to the Director of Central Service and Deputy Chief Executive to approve a final version of the Strategy and, if substantive changes were proposed, that the Strategy be brought back to the Committee for further consideration and final approval.

The report summarised the legislative context for gender pay gap reporting, and incorporates the outcomes of the Council’s gender pay gap analysis for 2023-24.

The report of the Director of Central Services and Deputy Chief Executive summarised the legislative context of gender pay gap reporting and incorporated the outcomes of the Borough Council’s gender pay gap analysis for 2023-24.

Overall, during the most recent twelve month period the mean and median gender pay gap increased by 3.31% and 6.62% respectively compared to the previous year.  It was noted that the Council’s gender pay gap increase was partly due to an increase in the overall number of females joining the organisation during the reporting period, with more females than male staff joining in roles in both the lower quartile and lower middle quartile. It was noted that the percentage of female employees in both the upper quartile and upper middle quartile had increased compared to the previous year. 

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 2 – Information likely to reveal information about 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 sale/grade plus associated on costs.

(Reasons: LGA 1972 – Sch 12A Paragraph 2 – Information which is likely to reveal the identity of 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 new Temporary Accommodation Welfare Officer (22.2 hours) post on scale 5/6, be permanently established; and

(2)        the Planning Enforcement Manager (DJ0182) post be regraded from M8 to M7, with immediate effect.