Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were not items of urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 11 March 2015 and 19 May 2015.

The minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 11 March 2015 and 19 May 2015 were agreed as correct records 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 outline the new Investor in People (IIP) standard and assessment rules and to recommend that the Council ceases subscription to the standard and associated accreditation process.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To agree that the external IIP assessment and accreditation process no longer be undertaken.

1.2       To agree that the resources associated with the IIP accreditation process be reprioritised in light of the Council’s strong performance culture, underpinned by a positive and engaging approach to industrial relations and employee development, which is clearly linked to our business priorities, as evidence of the need to continually challenge how we represent value for money and added value in all that we do.

1.3       To note that the same recommendation is being made to SNC Appointments and Personnel Committee.

Resolved

(1)       That it be agreed that the external IIP assessment and accreditation process no longer be undertaken.

(2)       That it be noted that resources associated with the IIP accreditation process would be reprioritised in light of the Council’s strong performance culture, underpinned by a positive and engaging approach to industrial relations and employee development, which was clearly linked to the Council’s business priorities, as evidence of the need to continually challenge how the Council represents value for money and added value in all that it does.

(3)       That it be noted that the Appointments and Personnel Committee at South Northamptonshire Council had agreed the recommendation at their meeting of 8 December 2015.

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The Head of Transformation submitted a report on the Investors in People Accreditation which outlined the new Investor in People (IIP) standard and assessment rules and recommended that the Council ceased to subscribe to the standard and associated accreditation.

The Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager explained that the current IIP would be phased out in 2016 and there would be major changes to the IIP process, including additional cost, a mandatory all staff survey and an annual assessment rather than an 18 month review.

Since the introduction of IIP the Council had developed a suite of alternative and duplicate measures to those already offered by IIP had been established and it was therefore proposed that these do the same or a better job of demonstrating how effective the council was at aligning employees and organisational culture to our strategic priorities. 

In response to Members’ comments regarding the loss of the external audit aspect, the Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager explained that IIP only looked at training and internal audit already undertook a review of policies and processes.  Additionally, training was included in the annual governance statement.

Resolved

(1)       That it be agreed that the external IIP assessment and accreditation process no longer be undertaken.

(2)       That it be noted that resources associated with the IIP accreditation process would be reprioritised in light of the Council’s strong performance culture, underpinned by a positive and engaging approach to industrial relations and employee development, which was clearly linked to the Council’s business priorities, as evidence of the need to continually challenge how the Council represents value for money and added value in all that it does.

(3)       That it be noted that the Appointments and Personnel Committee at South Northamptonshire Council had agreed the recommendation at their meeting of 8 December 2015.

Report of Head of Transformation.

Purpose of report

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 report be noted.

The Head of Transformation submitted a report on Employment Statistics for quarter four: 1 January to 31 March 2015, quarter one: 1 April to 30 June 2015 and quarter two: 1 July to 30 Sept 2015 which detailed employment statistics for information and monitoring purposes.

The Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager explained that because of on-going and forthcoming departmental restructures, temporary and agency staff, were being used to fill some vacancies.

The Committee observed that whilst it was an extremely comprehensive and complex report it may be more useful to include slightly less detail and more in the way of trends  It was also noted that the current vacancies were spread across the council and there were no areas for concern.

Resolved

(1)          That 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

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 and 2 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 and 2 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.

Resolved

(1)          That the exempt appendices be noted.

The Committee considered the exempt appendices to the report of the Head of Transformation which detailed employment statistics for quarter four: 1 January to 31 March 2015, quarter one: 1 April to 30 June 2015 and quarter two: 1 July to 30 Sept 2015.

Resolved

(1)          That the exempt appendices be noted.

Exempt report of Head of Transformation

Resolved

(1)     That the exempt report be noted.

The Head of Transformation submitted an exempt report on Sickness Absence Monitoring for quarter 4 - 1 January to 31 March 2015, quarter 1 – 1 April to 30 June 2015 and quarter 2 - 1 July to 30 September 2015 which set out sickness data and compared performance with previous years.

Resolved

(1)          That the exempt report be noted.