Agenda and minutes

Resolved

That Councillor Ian McCord be appointed Chairman of the Joint Commissioning Committee for the municipal year 2017-2018.

Resolved

That Councillor Barry Wood be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Joint Commissioning Committee for the municipal year 2017-2018.

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest that they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting.

8. Benefits Realisation Review: Human Resources and Organisational Development.

Mandy Targett, Declaration, as her post was included in the business case and would leave the meeting for the duration of the item.

14. Benefits Realisation Review: Human Resources and Organisational Development - Exempt Appendices.

Mandy Targett, Declaration, as her post was included in the business case and would leave the meeting for the duration of the item.

The Chairman to report on any requests to submit petitions or to address the meeting.

There were no petitions or requests to address the meeting.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 30 March 2017 and to note the informal notes of the inquorate meeting held on 20 June 2017.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 30 March 2017 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman and the informal notes of the inquorate meeting held on 20 June 2017 were noted.

Report of Assistant Director – Commercial Development and Innovation

Purpose of report

To seek Member approval for the adoption of two policies that can be applied to all employees of Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils: Compassionate leave policy and Market supplement policy.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1        To approve the revised compassionate leave policy (Appendix 1).

1.2         To approve the introduction of a market supplement policy (Appendix 2).

The Assistant Director – Commercial Development and Innovation submitted a report to seek Member approval for the adoption of two policies that can be applied to all employees of Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils: Compassionate Leave Policy and Market Supplement Policy.

In presenting the report, the Assistant Director – Commercial Development and Innovation advised the Committee that the Joint Councils Employee had considered and endorsed the policies, recommending that the JCC adopt the policies, subject to the deletion of the heading “Religious Requirements” in section 7 of the Compassionate Leave Policy.

In the course of the discussion, some Members commented that the Compassionate Leave Policy should have a more generous in terms of the minimum number of days. In response to Members’ concerns, the Chief Finance Officer explained that the Policy allowed for discretion and flexibility and where there were exceptional circumstances Human Resources and Line Managers were expected to work together and give consideration on a case by case basis.

Resolved

(1)          That the revised Compassionate Leave Policy (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

(2)          That the introduction of a Market Supplement Policy (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

Report of Interim Chief Executive / Interim Head of Paid Service

Purpose of report

To inform Members of the decision taken by the Interim Chief Executive / Head of Paid Service under urgent powers in consultation with the Chairman (Councillor Barry Wood) and Vice-Chairman (Councillor Ian McCord) of the Joint Commissioning Committee to approve the 2017/18 pay aware for the Joint Management Team (JMT) and Shared Managers so it coincides with the general award and implementation date.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1        To note the urgent action taken by the Interim Chief Executive / Head of Paid Service to approve the 2017/18 pay award for the Joint Management Team and Shared Managers.

The Director of Operational Delivery submitted a report to inform Members of the decision he had taken whilst Interim Chief Executive / Head of Paid Service under urgent powers in consultation with the Chairman (Councillor Barry Wood) and Vice-Chairman (Councillor Ian McCord) of the Joint Commissioning Committee to approve the 2017/18 pay aware for the Joint Management Team (JMT) and Shared Managers so it coincided with the general award and implementation date.

Resolved

(1)          That the urgent action taken by the Interim Chief Executive / Head of Paid Service to approve the 2017/18 pay award for the Joint Management Team and Shared Managers be noted.

Report of Director of Operational Delivery

Purpose of report

To report the urgent action taken by the Interim Chief Executive to commence the implementing of the business case for the Shared Development Management Service and the consultation process for the Benefits Realisation Review: Human Resources and Organisational Development

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To note the urgent action taken by the Interim Chief Executive.

The Director of Operational Delivery submitted a report to report the urgent action he had taken as Interim Chief Executive to commence the implementing of the business case for the Shared Development Management Service and the consultation process for the Benefits Realisation Review: Human Resources and Organisational Development

Resolved

(1)          That the urgent action taken by the Interim Chief Executive to commence the implementation of the business case for the Shared Development Management Service and the consultation process for the Benefits Realisation Review: Human Resources and Organisational Development be noted

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any item or urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

There were no items of urgent business.

The following items of business contain 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 items have been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider each of them 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, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of that Act 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, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of that Act 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 report of Assistant Director - Commercial Development and Innovation

The Assistant Director - Commercial Development and Innovation submitted an exempt report to seek agreement from the Joint Commissioning Committee to proceed with consultation in relation to two proposed revised policies that could be applied to all employees of Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils.

Resolved

(1)          As set out in the exempt minutes.

(2)          As set out in the exempt minutes.

(3)          That it be noted that the HR team was undertaking an on-going process of policy review and modernisation and that where non-fundamental changes were proposed to already existing joint policies HR would proceed straight to employee consultation and bring a draft policy and consultation feedback to the Joint Commissioning Committee for final decision making.

(4)          That, further to resolution (3), it be noted that this approach would only apply to policies that were already harmonised and had therefore previously been agreed by the Joint Commissioning Committee and where there was limited impact (e.g. no financial impact) and where there were significant proposed changes or new policies the Joint Commissioning Committee would review prior to employee consultation.

Exempt Report of Assistant Director – Commercial Development and Innovation

The Assistant Director – Commercial Development and Innovation submitted an exempt report to update the Committee in relation to progress on pay and grading as part of the harmonisation project that was requested at the Joint Commissioning Committee meeting of 30 March 2017.

Resolved

(1)          That the progress on the harmonisation of Job evaluation (JE) that would form part of pay and grading review be noted.

(2)          As set out in the exempt minutes.

(3)          That the progress with regards to the development of a harmonised grading structure be noted.

The Committee considered the exempt appendices to the Benefits Realisation Review: Human Resources and Organisational Development.

Resolved

(1)          That the exempt appendices be noted.

Resolved

That the press and public be readmitted to the meeting.

Report of Assistant Director – Commercial Development and Innovation

Purpose of report

This report presents the final recommendations to reconfigure the HR and OD Service following the completion of the benefits realisation review and staff consultation.

The report recommends restructuring the service into a HR and Payroll Service and in doing so seeks the Joint Commissioning Committee’s (JCC) agreement for all elements of the proposal.

The proposal is part of the wider transformation programme across the two Councils.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To consider the responses to the consultation process with the affected staff and trade union representatives received as detailed in the consultation log (attached as Appendix 2) and from the Joint Councils Employee Engagement Committee (to be reported verbally), and determine whether any amendment to the business case is required as a result of them.

1.2      To approve the final recommendations including the restructure proposal to create a HR and Payroll Service shared across Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils (hereafter Cherwell or CDC and South Northamptonshire or SNC respectively)., including determination of any redundancies that could arise as a result of the implementation process and to delegate to the Assistant Director – Commercial Development and Innovation in consultation with the Chairman of the Joint Commissioning Committee any subsequent non-significant amendment that may be required to the proposal.

1.3       To delegate to the Assistant Director – Commercial Development and Innovation responsibility for implementation of the business case, including approving the costs of any redundancies, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer.

The Assistant Director – Commercial Development and Innovation submitted a report which presented the final recommendations to reconfigure the Human Resources (HR) and Organisational Development (OD) Service following the completion of the benefits realisation review and staff consultation.

The report recommended restructuring the service into a HR and Payroll Service and in doing so sought the Joint Commissioning Committee’s agreement for all elements of the proposal.

The proposal was part of the wider transformation programme across the two Councils.

The Assistant Director – Commercial and Innovation confirmed that the Joint Councils Employee and Engagement Committee had considered and endorsed the business case, recommending to the Joint Commissioning Committee that it be approved.

Resolved

(1)          That, having given due consideration to the responses to the consultation process with the affected staff and trade union representatives and from the Joint Councils Employee Engagement Committee, it be de (to be reported verbally), and it be determined that no amendment to the business case was required as a result of them.

(2)          That the final recommendations, including the restructure proposal to create a HR and Payroll Service shared across Cherwell District and South Northamptonshire Councils and including determination of any redundancies that could arise as a result of the implementation process be approved and responsibility be delegated to the Assistant Director – Commercial Development and Innovation in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Joint Commissioning Committee to make any subsequent non-significant amendment that may be required to the proposal.

(3)          To responsibility for the implementation of the business case be delegated to the Assistant Director – Commercial Development and Innovation, including approving the costs of any redundancies, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer.