Agenda, decisions and minutes

Resolved

(1)   That in the absence of the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman, Councillor Barry Wood be appointed Chairman for the duration of this meeting.

There were no petitions or requests to address the meeting.

There were no matters of urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 10 September 2014.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 September 2014 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

There were no Chairman’s Announcements.

Report of Head of Transformation

Purpose of Report

To seek member approval of a revised probation policy with the intention that one document can be used across the three partner Councils.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To approve the revised 3-way probation policy.

Resolved

(1)   That the 3-way probation policy be approved.

The Head of Transformation submitted a report which sought approval of a 3-way Probation Policy for Cherwell District Council, South Northamptonshire Council and Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

In introducing the report, the Human Recourses Business Partner for Resourses explained that each of the three partner Councils currently had their own specific probation policy. With the continued increase of shared teams it was essential to have a single probation policy which was applied consistently regardless of which Council was the employer.  The policy would only apply to new employees. 

The Committee was advised that the policy had already been approved at South Northamptonshire Council and Stratford-on-Avon District Councils.

Resolved

(1)   That the 3-way probation policy be approved.

Report of Head of Transformation.

Purpose of Report

To provide a summary of the work undertaken to date on the development of a potential Partnership Organisational Development Strategy to provide a framework to support the partnership work of Cherwell, South Northamptonshire and Stratford-on-Avon Councils. The Strategy will need approval from all three partner authorities in order to be adopted across the partnership.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1       Approve the Draft Partnership Organisational Development Strategy.

Resolved

(1)   That the Draft Partnership Organisational Development Strategy be approved.

The Head of Transformation submitted a report on the development of a draft Partnership Organisational Development Strategy to provide a framework to support the partnership work of Cherwell District Council, South Northamptonshire Council and Stratford-on-Avon District Council

In introducing the report, the Human Recourses Business Partner for Development and Bicester Directorates explained that Strategy had been developed to provide a mechanism for setting out the Councils commitment to supporting change and to identify how the support should be delivered. The Strategy would be underpinned by an action plan.

The Committee was advised that feedback from Senior Managers had not yet been incorporated and the draft Partnership Organisational Development Strategy would be reviewed when all feedback had been received.

Resolved

(1)          That the Draft Partnership Organisational Development Strategy be approved.

Report of Head of Transformation.

Purpose of Report

The purpose of this report is to detail employment statistics for information and monitoring purposes.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1       Note the contents of the report.

Resolved

(1)   That the contents of the report be noted.

The Head of Transformation submitted a report which detailed employment statistics for information and monitoring purposes and compared the South Northamptonshire Council position against the wider employment market.

The Committee requested that future reports include more information about why people leave the organisation and commented that the use of Agency Workers should be minimised due to the extra cost involved.

Resolved

(1)   That the contents of the report be noted.

The following report contains exempt information as defined in the following paragraphs of Part 1, Schedule 12A of Local Government Act 1972.

1 – Information relating to any individual

2 – Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual

3 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

4 – Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under, the authority.

Members are reminded that whilst the following item has been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider it in private or in public. In making the decision, members should balance the interests of individuals or the Council itself in having access to the information. In considering their discretion members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers.

Should Members decide not to make a decision in public, they are recommended to pass the following recommendation:

“That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the ground that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part 1, Paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

Resolved

That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the ground that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part 1, Paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Exempt appendices of Report of Head of Transformation      

The Committee considered the exempt appendices to the report of the Head of Transformation which detailed employment statistics for the first quarter of the financial year (1 July 2014 to 30 September 2014).

Resolved

(1)  That the exempt appendices be noted.

Exempt report of Head of Finance and Procurement.

Resolved

(1)  That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)  That the creation of a new Joint Fraud team and recruitment to the posts within the team on a permanent basis be approved.

The Head of Finance and Procurement submitted an exempt report which provided an update on the Single Fraud Investigation Service and  sought approval to create a Joint Fraud Investigation team initially for South Northamptonshire Council and Cherwell District Council (phase 1) and incorporating Stratford-On-Avon District Council at a later date (phase 2).

The committee congratulated the Benefits Manager on the report and the securing of £147,000 funding towards the project.

Resolved

(1)    That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)       That the creation of a new Joint Fraud team and recruitment to the posts within the team on a permanent basis be approved.

Exempt report of Head of Joint ICT Business Services.

Resolved

(1)   That the consultation log be noted.

(2)  That the revised staffing structure proposed for the Joint ICT Business Service be approved and Officers be instructed to complete the necessary assimilation and recruitments as soon as possible.

(3) That authority be delegated to the Director of Resources for Cherwell District Council and South Northamptonshire Council in consultation with the Chairman to make any minor alterations to the proposed structure.

The Head of Joint ICT Business Service presented an exempt report which sought endorsement from the committee on the staffing re-structure within the Joint ICT Business Service.

Resolved

(1)  That the consultation log be noted.

(2) That the revised staffing structure proposed for the Joint ICT Business Service be approved and Officers be instructed to complete the necessary assimilation and recruitments as soon as possible.

(3) That authority be delegated to the Director of Resources for Cherwell District Council and South Northamptonshire Council in consultation with the Chairman to make any minor alterations to the proposed structure.