Agenda and draft minutes
Venue: C1, 1st Floor, Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG
Contact: Matthew Mannion, Democratic Services Tel: 020 7364 4651, E-mail: matthew.mannion@towerhamlets.gov.uk
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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: There were no Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING(S) PDF 90 KB To confirm as a correct record the unrestricted minutes of the meeting of the Human Resources Committee held on 25 March 2015 and 28 May 2015. Additional documents: Minutes: RESOLVED
1. That the unrestricted minutes of the meetings of the Human Resources Committee held on 25 March 2015 and 28 May 2015 be agreed and signed by the Chair as a correct record of proceedings.
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REPORTS OF CORPORATE DIRECTOR, RESOURCES |
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Human Resources Committee Terms of Reference, Quorum, Membership and Dates of Meetings PDF 79 KB Additional documents: Minutes: Matthew Mannion, Committee Services Manager, introduced the annual noting report setting out the Committee’s Terms of Reference as recorded in the Constitution. The Membership agreed by Council on 24 June 2015 was also tabled for information.
In line with the Constitutional requirements, the Committee were required to elect their own Vice Chair for the year. Nominations were requested. Councillor Sirajul Islam moved, and Councillor Rachel Blake seconded, that Councillor Dave Chesterton be nominated as Vice Chair of the Committee. There were no other nominations. The Committee agreed the proposed nomination.
RESOLVED
1. That the report be noted.
2. That Councillor Dave Chesterton be appointed as the Vice Chair of the Human Resources Committee for the 2015/16 municipal year.
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Establishment of Appointments Sub-Committee PDF 100 KB Minutes: Matthew Mannion, Committee Services Manager, introduced the annual report establishing the Appointments Sub-Committee. Members noted the updated membership in line with the Council’s proportionality rules.
The Chair requested that officers make arrangements with her to discuss the process behind arranging Appointment Sub-Committees and that in general all Human Resources Committee Members should be included in communications about Appointment Sub-Committees.
RESOLVED
1. To agree the Terms of Reference for the Appointments Sub-Committees for the remainder of the municipal year 2015/16 as set out at Paragraph 4.1 of the report.
2. That the arrangements for nominating Councillors to serve on Appointments Sub-Committees be agreed as set out at Paragraph 4.2 below and the Service Head, Democratic Services be authorised to agree the dates of Appointments Sub-Committee meetings and the membership of the Sub-Committee for each appointment that is required in accordance with nominations from the Group Leaders and Mayor.
3. That the Committee note the process for appointment to Chief Officer and Deputy Chief Officer posts as set out at Paragraph 5 of the report.
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Quarterly report - new starters, January 2015 - March 2015 PDF 780 KB Minutes: Simon Kilbey, Service Head, Human Resources and Workforce Development, introduced the regular noting report on new starters. He noted the slight reductions in the number of residents being recruited and also a small reduction in the ethnic mix of recruits, especially in relation to Bangladeshi heritage. This was being monitored but it was thought that the small number of posts involved resulting in small data sets and the impact of the employment options programme could be part of the reason for these figures.
Members discussed the report and in response to questions, Simon Kilbey stated that: · He would look to show the split between new starters and current employees who are appointed to new jobs. He would also provide a background note on the breakdown of those recently recruited to school kitchens. · Officers could research how groups such as those impacted by universal credit changes, or known to homelessness services and the like were able to access council jobs and whether they saw the adverts. This would need to be factored into the Equalities Action Plan. · Although there had been a decline in the ethnic mix of recruits, if apprenticeships were included in the figures then the Council was actually ahead of its targets.
RESOLVED
1. To note the report.
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Routes into Employment PDF 121 KB Minutes: Simon Kilbey, Service Head, Human Resources and Workforce Development, introduced the report providing information on a number of schemes the Council was running to assist residents into employment. These schemes included apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships schemes and well as graduate schemes. He highlighted the statistics available in the report but reminded Members that the small sample sizes meant slight changes created large percentage differences. He acknowledged that the data could do with refining but what was available was a good starting point.
The Chair reminded the Committee that they were particularly interested in seeing how apprentices and new starters moved through the Council.
In relation to apprentices, Simon Kilbey reported that 32 had been recruited and that a further 20 were planned shortly. Advertising of the second cohort was being targeted at schools, in part to try and ensure a better gender balance.
In response to questions Simon Kilbey reported that: · The retention rate for apprentices was very good and some may have left for other jobs because of the skills they were developing so that was also a positive. · Apprentices could use the redeployment process as well as the in house temporary staff agency and support for them was being brought into the Skills Match Service. · A future report could be prepared on the support that Skills Match could provide to apprentices. · Officers would explore ways of encouraging better participation in recording equalities data.
Finally as a general point, Simon Kilbey noted that the content of the report would develop over time.
The Chair welcomed the report and stated that she looked forward to seeing how it would develop.
RESOLVED
1. To note the report.
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Employment Options and Workforce Savings Update PDF 183 KB Minutes: Mark Keeble, Senior Human Resources and Workforce Development Business Partner, introduced the update report on the employment options workforce savings programme. He highlighted the key points in the report in relation to the 2015/16 programme including that there was currently a projected £160k shortfall against the £3.5 million target and officers were confident that alternative savings would be identified to cover that.
Just over 100 posts had been identified through the voluntary redundancy/retirement process and figures showing a breakdown of the expected savings and shortfalls were set out in the report but the main risk was in relation to around £800k of restructures which had not started yet and a few ongoing restructures had yet to reach agreement.
In particular he highlighted that it was expected that all savings could be achieved without any compulsory redundancies which was a big achievement for all involved.
A review had been undertaken of the first year of the process in consultation with the unions and some changes had been proposed including: · Keeping the scheme open at all times rather than having specific application deadlines. · Removing bumped redundancy as a specific option to avoid raising expectations as it was rarely used. · Restricting certain teams from applying, again to avoid raising expectations where they could not be met. · General feedback was good and demonstrated that staff felt the approach taken through the scheme was an improvement on previous large-scale workforce savings were delivered. It was also felt that the general engagement in the process from staff and managers had improved and was more constructive.
The Chair and Committee Members welcomed the report and commended the way the scheme had progressed.
RESOLVED
1. To note the report.
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ANY OTHER 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: The Committee considered whether to exclude the press and public during consideration of the following agenda items. In view of the subject matter of the reports and the information contained therein, the Committee concluded that the public interest in maintaining the exemption on the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing it. Accordingly it was:-
RESOLVED
1. That, under the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, 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.
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EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS To confirm as a correct record the Exempt/Confidential Minutes of the Human Resources Committee meetings held on 25 March 2015 and 28 May 2015.
Additional documents:
Minutes: RESOLVED
1. That the Exempt/Confidential minutes of the Human Resources Committee meetings held on 25 March 2015 and 28 May 2015 be agreed and signed by the Chair as a correct record of proceedings subject to the inclusion of additional narrative on agenda item 3.1 (Recruitment of Head of Paid Service/Chief Executive) in the minutes of 28 May 2015. |
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EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL REPORTS OF CORPORATE DIRECTOR, RESOURCES |
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Employment Options - Service Head Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee considered the report of the Head of Paid Service.
After discussion the Committee agreed the recommendations as set out in the report. |
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Creation of and appointing to two new Chief Officer posts (Children's Social Care and Adult's Social Care) Minutes: The Committee considered the report of the Service Head, Human Resources and Workforce Development.
After discussion the Committee agreed the recommendations as set out in the report.
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Senior Management Vacancies Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee considered the report of the Service Head, Human Resources and Workforce Development.
After discussion the Committee agreed the recommendations as set out in the report.
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ANY OTHER EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS WHICH THE CHAIR CONSIDERS URGENT Minutes: Nil items.
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