13 March 2025

NEW FOREST DISTRICT COUNCIL

HR Committee

Minutes of a meeting of the HR Committee held on Thursday, 13 March 2025

* Cllr Jill Cleary (Chairman)

* Cllr Steve Davies (Vice-Chairman)

Councillors:	Councillors:
*  Mark Clark     Kate Crisell *  Sean Cullen *  Jeremy Heron	*   Colm McCarthy     Alan O'Sullivan *   Joe Reilly

*Present

Officers Attending:

Heleana Aylett, Rebecca Drummond, Zoe Ormerod, Kate Hardy, James Loring and Joe Tyler.

<AI1>

35

Apologies

Apologies were received from Cllrs Kate Crisell and Alan O’Sullivan.

</AI1>

<AI2>

36

Minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 January 2025 were confirmed by the Chairman as correct record.

</AI2>

<AI3>

37	Declarations of Interest

There were no Declarations of Interest.

</AI3>

<AI4>

38	Public Participation

There was no public participation.

</AI4>

<AI5>

39

HR Update

The Committee received an overview of the work undertaken within the HR Service over and above the re-active casework.  

The Service Manager for Human Resources provided an update, the main point of which were as follows:  

• The Service Level Agreement (SLA) to provide Payroll, Advisory services and Health and Safety support to the National Park Authority (NPA) had once again been agreed and signed to enable work with the NPA to continue.  

• On the Staff Engagement Survey, the Committee heard that the HR team were working through the outcomes of the survey and that an action plan was being developed. An update may be provided at the next meeting with this action plan and the steps that had already been taken to address elements of the survey’s feedback. This will be shared with all staff members.  

• The National Recruitment Campaign had been a success and following its closure at the end of January 2025, data showed that the NFDC job web page had seen a rise from 4000 to 9000 visitors.   

• A new NFDC Microsoft Teams background highlighting the Council’s job’s webpage was available and already being used by HR staff.  

• The HR service had been working with colleagues in the Transformation team to progress the Recruitment Process Review. The review would develop new, refined recruitment processes to automate the system and reduce the amount of manual, repetitive work involved in recruitment.  

• On the Learning Management System, it was explained that the HR service had updated the Executive Management Team on the matter. The module completion rate was at 80% as of the end of January 2025. Those who had yet to complete the mandatory modules of learning were being monitored and supported. The service was considering the range of eLearning modules and how best to enable staff access to the most effective route forward for appropriate and suitable learning.   

• Due to amendments in the Equalities Act, a new policy on the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace. The Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Group sounding board had provided feedback on this new policy and an additional element had been added into the Bullying and Harassment Brief Bite training for staff 

• On the new Buying and Selling Annual Leave policy, the Committee heard that 22 applications to buy Annual Leave had been approved, 6 applications to sell had been approved and 8 applications were pending.  

• The long service awards were one of several Corporate Employee Events. The award service recognised those members of staff who had worked for the Council for over 20 years. The recognition awards, a celebration of long-term training and employee suggestions, was also well attended and found valuable by those employees that attended.   

• Following a question from a Committee member it was explained that some of the optional eLearning modules could be made available for Councillors. It was confirmed that these modules and courses would be publicised by way of either communication emails or HR emails and that Councillors were encouraged to view and consider which modules were of interest or relevance to them.  

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted. 

</AI5>

<AI6>

40	People Strategy

The Committee considered the People Strategy. The Senior HR Advisor presented the report and gave the Committee a presentation of the abridged document.   

The main points of the presentation were as follows:   

• The service was continuing to work together to move the People Strategy through to the final document.   

• The Strategy had been condensed into a 2-year, reduced from the previously anticipated 5-year plan, whilst keeping the themes based on the research undertaken.   

• The strategy ensures that staff are in the best possible place moving forward.   

• The abridged, visual version of the Strategy document demonstrates NFDC’s journey to being an employer of choice.  

• The Strategy document utilises a tree design that embodies the Strong Roots that uphold the Connect, Grow, Empower and LEAF principles.  

• The document strongly links with the Corporate Plan priorities and begins with what the Council are already doing well.   

• The four themes are:   

1. Strong Roots - these include the Council’s policies and procedures such as a positive wellbeing offer for staff.  

2. Grow – relates to NFDC’s belief that every member of staff should have the opportunity to grow.  

3. Connect – highlights the importance of connecting with one another within and across the organisation as well as with partners outside of NFDC.  

4. Empower – makes sure that NFDC staff are supported to create ideas and find their own solutions to challenges, all within the remit of their role.  

• Within the document, each of the principles were supported by spotlight stories from within the workforce from staff members such as apprentices and full-time permanent employees.  

• The Strategy has a delivery plan for each of the four themes and breaks down how each element will be worked upon over the coming years.   

• The Strategy will be taken to other Committees before being brought to Full Council in April 2025 for formal approval.  

• The Council were also asking for ideas from their staff on how to bring the Strategy to life through employee engagement. The Learning at Work Week in May will be utilised to bring the Strategy to life during the ‘Get Connected’ campaign.  

• Following a question from a member, the Committee were informed that NFDC were in fact ahead of comparable local authorities on working on a modern People Strategy. With Local Government Reorganisation, the Strategy had been reshaped from a 5-year plan to a 2-year plan enabling the Council to implement its action plan at an accelerated rate. The Organisational Development and Change Specialist explained that Strategy document would contain transferable positives to whatever the reorganised authority would look like.   

RESOLVED:

That the Committee support the submission of the Strategy to Cabinet for full approval.

</AI6>

<AI7>

41	Quarterly Health and Safety Report

The Committee received the Council’s Quarterly Health and Safety report. The Corporate Health and Safety Manager introduced the report. The main points highlighted were as follows:  

• An audit had been undertaken within the Council’s Electrical Team and the score was 82.64% which was very positive for the Council and a big improvement from the position of 5 years ago. A number of actions had been identified that service was working to implement. 

• On Safety panels and working groups, the report showed the percentages of risk assessments currently being reviewed. Within the Place, Operations and Sustainability and the Housing and Communities service areas. Both services had made good progress on the number of documents they had reviewed, however it was noted that there were around 100 risk assessment documents within each department. Some teams were struggling with capacity on this matter and so the Corporate Health and Safety Manager had since met with directors and service managers, and they had come up with strategic plans for the next financial year. Support would be provided so that these document reviews could be completed. 

• On Accident and Incident reports, the Committee heard that 65 reports were submitted, which was a decrease from the previous quarter. There had been an increase in injuries reported and reduction in near misses. The reduction in near misses was due to an overall reduction of submissions form the Street Scene team and damage from pub toilets. 

• There were a total of five Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDOOR) reports. 2 of these reports were contractor related, and this was noted as a significant increase from the previous quarter with a total of 185 days lost at time of report. 123 of these days were in the Housing and Communities service area and 65 were in the Place, Operations and Sustainability service area. 

• There was a downward trend in member of the public reports per quarter during this financial year, although when compared to the previous financial year, there has been a significant increase in the number of reports. This is primarily due to the increased work with the Health and Safety Team undertaken from managers and supervisors in the Housing and Customer Services. 

• There were a total of 5 contractor reports.  

• On the Significant Incidents, namely incidents 3782 and 3783, the Committee heard that there was an unsafe gas appliance at a property in Beach Crecent. Further inspection showed that the appliance was fitted outside of the manufacturer’s instructions. The property worked had an unsafe boiler which was immediately made safe and shut off alongside a report being submitted to Health and Safety England under RIDDOR 2013. Work was ongoing at the property with 21 actions identified at the address and a full audit of gas works undertaken by the gas contractor.  

• Actions were then agreed actions going forward with the contractor. The contractor will not use any sub-contractors going forward and all gas works will go through the Council’s team to make sure all requirements are met. Furthermore, the Council’s Gas Manager will attend quarterly KPI meetings. Since the incidents, good progress had been made through meetings with the gas contractors.  

• Incident 3779 regarded the discovery of asbestos in a property at Manor Close. This followed a review of the Asbestos Management Survey by the corporate Asbestos Management Team. The loft space of the property was locked and made secure before a contractor removed the material. A full accident investigation was currently on-going with the Health and Safety Team. A number of actions were identified for the Asbestos Management Team and the Asbestos Controller contractor. The Corporate Health and Safety Manager reassured the Committee that he continued to work with the Housing team to ensure the identified actions would be implemented as soon as possible. 

• Following a question from a member, the Corporate Health and Safety Manager explained that he would look confirm the figures on the transport vehicle incidents 

RESOLVED:

That the Committee:  

• Acknowledged the findings identified from service safety panels and working groups. 

• Acknowledged the findings from the Q3 2024 – 2025 accident/incident form.

</AI7>

<AI8>

42	Work Programme

The Committee reviewed its future Work Programme.

RESOLVED:

That the Work Programme be noted.

</AI8>

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