Agenda and draft minutes
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Contact: Matthew Mannion, Democratic Services Tel: 020 7364 4651, E-mail:
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DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTEREST PDF 64 KB To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992.
See attached note from the Monitoring Officer.
Minutes: None were declared.
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS PDF 87 KB To confirm as a correct record the unrestricted minutes of the meetings of the Human Resources Committee held on 15 September 2014 and 22 October 2014. (to follow)
Additional documents: Minutes: RESOLVED
That the unrestricted minutes of the meetings held on 15 September 2014 and 22 October 2014 be agreed, and signed by the Chair, as a correct record of proceedings subject to the following amendments: · That Councillor Khales Uddin Ahmed be marked as the Vice-Chair of the Committee. · Spelling corrections.
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REPORTS OF CORPORATE DIRECTOR, RESOURCES |
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Additional documents:
Minutes: Simon Kilbey, Service Head, HR and Workforce Development, introduced the update report on the Employment Options process. He updated the Committee on progress to date including that consultations had commenced with the unions.
Mark Keeble, Employment Options Project Manager, provided additional information to the Committee, including that: · The value of the savings was expected to be around £3.9 million. · The Cabinet decision not to proceed with the nurseries changes had an impact on expected savings but it also significantly reduced the proportion of those Employment Options requests in scope of Service Challenge restructures who were women from 74% to 68% which better reflected the overall workforce balance. · Officers were working with the unions to try and prevent any compulsory redundancies. The unions had been provided with additional facility time to support their work. · Analysis by percentage of the current workforce and the outcome of requests indicated comparatively more managers were being lost than lower graded staff. · As an update to the report - 14 restructure consultations were expected to begin in December and a further 22 were to begin in January. · The bumped redundancy process had begun with a new process developed in consultation with the unions.
The Committee discussed the report and looked at a number of issues including: · The ability of staff to waive their notice period in lieu of pay. · That the financial implications of restructures ending after 31 March had been considered but that some restructures would complete by 31 March especially if the officers have waived their notice periods. · Work needed to be completed on examining why more disabled and BME staff were marked for redundancy than would be expected and to see if retraining and support was available. · Not all savings proposals were accepted by Cabinet. · It was noted that the Pensions Committee were due to receive a report on the impact of early retirements.
RESOLVED
1. That the report be noted.
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Organisational Structure PDF 104 KB [Note – on the original agenda this item was placed in the Exempt Reports section but the final report is unrestricted so it has been moved up the agenda.] Minutes: The Chair noted and agreed the reasons for urgency for consideration of the report as set out:
The report was not prepared in time for publication five clear days in advance of the meeting. However, it seeks input from the Committee on a key aspect of the Council’s organisation and it may be considered that this is a matter of priority which should not wait until after the next meeting of the Committee.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 19:50 for ten minutes to allow Members to read the report.
Stephen Halsey, Head of Paid Service, introduced the report on the review of the organisational structure in the Education, Social Care and Wellbeing directorate. He highlighted that officers were keen to hear the Committee’s thoughts on what was being proposed. He stated that a further report could be presented back with the final proposals to allow the Committee to express their view on the specific plans that were developed.
Robert McCulloch-Graham, the Corporate Director, Education, Social Care and Wellbeing highlighted that the directorate was very large and was growing significantly with the recent inclusion of public health services. The changing focus in other areas such as adult social care was also having an effect. However, there were benefits to a large directorate with the ability to share back-office support staff and officer knowledge and skills as well as simpler internal communications and this balance would be considered as part of the review.
Members reviewed the paper and expressed disappointment that the review did not appear to have progressed significantly beyond the report presented to the previous meeting and questioned whether there was enough urgency considering the importance of the issue. Officers responded that the review was progressing but that it was a large scale project involving a large number of internal and external stakeholders including the social work college, health sector partners, agencies and more. The intention was to have a report ready as soon as practically possible but that it had to be robust and lasting. The report to the next meeting would include more details of the plans themselves.
Discussing specific points, Members highlighted that: · The next progress report should contain that additional information · Officers might wish to examine if there were further ways the Committee Members could be involved in the discussions. · The final options report should include timelines.
Officers agreed to provide more information on the proposals and their reasoning and to work with Members to provide suitable reports to future meetings. Officers would consider the most appropriate ways that the Members could feed into the development of the proposals.
Finally, it was noted following advice from Service Head Legal Services to the Committee that the decision rested with the Head of Paid Service but he highlighted how he valued the input of the Committee.
RESOLVED
1. To note the report.
2. To note that the Corporate Director ESCW and the Head of Paid Service will present a further report to the next meeting of the ... view the full minutes text for item 3.2 |
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ANY OTHER UNRESTRICTED BUSINESS WHICH THE CHAIR CONSIDERS URGENT Minutes: Nil items.
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EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC In view of the contents of the remaining items on the agenda the Committee is recommended to adopt the following motion:
“That, under the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting for the consideration of the Section Two business on the grounds that it contains information defined as Exempt in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.”
EXEMPT SECTION (Pink Papers)
The exempt committee papers in the agenda will contain information, which is commercially, legally or personally sensitive and should not be divulged to third parties. If you do not wish to retain these papers after the meeting, please hand them to the Committee Officer present.
Minutes: RESOLVED –
(1) That in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that the remaining agenda item contained information defined as exempt or confidential in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. </AI9> <AI10>
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EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS To confirm as a correct record the exempt/confidential minutes of the meetings of the Human Resources Committee held on 15 September 2014 and 22 October 2014. (to follow)
Additional documents:
Minutes: Subject to minor amendments the Exempt/Restricted Minutes of the meetings held on 15 September 2014 and 22 October 2014 were agreed. |
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EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION |
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Senior Management Vacancies Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee considered an additional tabled paper regarding certain senior management vacancies and also the original report as set out in the agenda.
The Committee discussed the information contained in the report and agreed relevant recommendations including a shortlist for the post of Service Head, Adult Social Care.
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Appointment of Chief Executive Update Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee considered the report as set out on the agenda and additional information presented by officers. Following discussion the Committee agreed a set of recommendations. |
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ANY OTHER EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS WHICH THE CHAIR CONSIDERS URGENT Minutes: Nil items.
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