The Minutes of the meeting held on 15 July 2021 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Further to Minute 2 of the meeting held on 15 July 2021, the Assistant Director of HR and Organisational Development submitted a report, presenting the Committee with six Employment Policies which had been reviewed jointly and agreed with the Joint Trade Unions.  The following documents were attached to the report:

Appendix A     DBS Policy;

Appendix B     Grey Fleet Policy;

Appendix C     Time Off for Public Duties Policy;

Appendix D     Flexible Workstyles Framework;

Appendix E     Overtime Policy;

Appendix F      Performance Management Framework.

The report explained that the policies had been reviewed because they did not reflect current best practice or were out of date and hence put the Council at risk, were due to be reviewed in line with the two-year review schedule and had been updated with current job titles and gender-neutral language.  The remaining new and residual policies which required review would be brought forward for approval by the end of March 2022.

The report set out the principles that had been in mind when the policies had been written and stated that in future, all employment policies would be reviewed every two years or sooner if legislation required it.

The report also included a table which set out in summary terms for each of the revised policies the issues which had been addressed together with additional key changes that had been agreed with the Joint Trades Unions.  Once the policy review had been completed, hyperlinks would be added to the policies where they were cross referenced with other policies.  The process for agreeing the policies with the Joint Trade Unions was set out in a table and a communications plan had been put in place to communicate the revised policies to managers and employees.

Resolved:

(1)        That the following revised/new HR policies, as set out in in Appendices A to F attached to the report, be approved:

·       Appendix A        DBS Policy;

·       Appendix B        Grey Fleet Policy;

·       Appendix C        Time Off For Public Duties Policy;

·       Appendix D        Flexible Workstyles Framework;

·       Appendix E        Overtime Policy;

·       Appendix F        Performance Management Framework;

At this point, the following motion will be moved by the Chair:

“That, pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following item on the agenda, as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of that Act”

Resolved -

That pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following items, as it was likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act.

The Assistant Director of HR and Organisational Development submitted a report, which provided a monitoring statement of all termination costs that had been incurred due to employees leaving the Council on either early retirement or redundancy grounds between 1 April 2021 and 30 September 2021.  There had been no early retirements on the grounds of efficiency during this period.  Termination costs that had been incurred due to employees leaving the Council on redundancy grounds between 1 April 2021 and 30 September 2021 were attached to the report at Appendix 1.

Resolved       That it be noted that the total termination costs incurred due to employees leaving the Council on redundancy grounds between 1 April 2021 and 30 September 2021 was £26,206.48.

(Exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2).