Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1, Appletree Court, Lyndhurst

Contact: 023 8028 5588 - ask for Andy Rogers  Email:  andy.rogers@nfdc.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

13.

Minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2019 as a correct record.

 

 

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2019 were confirmed by the Chairman as correct record.

 

14.

Declarations of Interest

To note any declarations of interest made by members in connection with an agenda item. The nature of the interest must also be specified.

 

Members are asked to discuss any possible interests with Democratic Services prior to the meeting.

 

Minutes:

There were no Declarations of Interest.

 

15.

Public Participation

To note any issues raised during the public participation period.

 

 

Minutes:

There were no issues raised in the public participation period.

 

16.

HR Update Report pdf icon PDF 231 KB

To receive the HR Update report.

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received an update on HR matters since the last meeting.  Members received a demonstration of the Itrent Job Portal which would allow users to receive emails of jobs according to a certain chosen criteria.

 

The Report also covered the Housing Maintenance Reorganisation, Armed Forces recruitment, the Health and Leisure Review, DBS Checks, Pay and changes to the sickness procedure.

 

The Housing Maintenance Reorganisation had involved seventeen new posts being recommended including the creation of a new Service Manager, the cost of some of which were offset by the deletion of seven vacant posts.

 

It was anticipated that all existing staff will be asked to complete a DBS Check with new employees being asked to complete a check before their employment was confirmed.  The implementation of this change for new staff would be prioritised on the basis of a risk.

 

On Pay, it was noted that that the Council’s spine point values did not match that of the NJC Scheme and a review had been completed and the results of which were reported elsewhere on the Agenda.  The Council would work through these issues with the Employees Side Liaison Panel, with employee representatives and recommendations would be provided to the Committee in due course.  This work involves dealing with the discrepancy between the NJC pay awards and the Council’s and how these translate.

 

On sickness, more trigger points had been introduced to streamline the process of addressing problems where necessary, in agreement with the Unions.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the report be noted.

 

 

17.

Management Development Training - Update and Proposals pdf icon PDF 236 KB

To receive an update on Management Apprenticeships and training undertaken in the past 18 months.

 

 

Minutes:

The Committee received an update on the first round of Management Apprenticeships’ and other Management Training undertaken in the last 18 months together with details for future Management Development.

 

The report gave details of Apprenticeships and Study followed by employees at various levels, who had achieved very good results.

 

It was suggested that the success of the scheme be communicated to employees to encourage others.

 

It was suggested that future job advertising for posts at NFDC should include a reference to the Management Apprenticeships and Supervisory Management Development Courses.

 

It was also suggested that mapping be undertaken to show where employees go after undertaking training or studying with the Council.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Council’s commitment to the Management Development Programmes detailed in the report be supported and that a verbal progress report be provided in the New Year once all programmes are underway.

 

18.

Pay Adjustment 2019 pdf icon PDF 223 KB

To consider local pay arrangements.

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee has considered changes to the Council’s pay arrangements relating to Band 3 to 5.  The Council had moved to a local pay structure in 1990, which had been regularly reviewed and modifications made as required.

 

In 2017, the Council had implemented a two phase approach to Bands 1 to 4, focusing on the lowest paid and setting the lowest hourly rate of £8 per hour.  The second phase in 2018 introduced three spine points for each Band and the percentage pay increase between each Band was set at 3%.

 

Over the same two year period, the National Joint Council (NJC) Pay Award had been largely bottom loaded with those employees earning less than £25K being awarded greater percentage increases.  This difference in the spine point values made it increasingly difficult to match two pay scales.

 

Whilst the Council believed it has done much work to increase the term for its lowest paid employees, discussions have taken place with Trade Unions which the Council is proposing now be implemented, back dated to 1 April 2019.

 

The Committee noted that the full year cost of the changes as outlined was in the region of £80,000-100,000 per annum, including on-costs (Pension and NI).

 

The Council set aside £100,000 for pay reviews in its 2019/20 budget, including the change to the £9.00 minimum pay point.  A further £90,000 had also been set aside in the latest Medium Term Financial Plan in recognition of further work required on the Council’s overall pay scales.  The costs of the proposed changes were therefore matched with existing budgetary provision.

 

The Committee noted supportive comments from the Employee Side Representatives as well as from the Employee Side Liaison Panel.

 

Further negotiation would be entered into with the Employee Side Representatives relating to the adjustment of the NFDC pay points to mirror those of the NJC in the future. 

 

RECOMMENDED:

 

That implementation of the proposed changes to the local pay arrangements be approved, to take effect from 1 April 2019, backdated.

 

 

19.

Investors in People (IIP)

To discuss the principles of IIP.

 

 

Minutes:

A Member had raised the issue of whether the Council should re-register with the Investors in People Programme.  The Committee noted that an Employee Survey and Employee Forums were planned in the near future and it was intended to raise this as an issue for discussion.  Officers undertook to bring a report back to the Committee on this topic in 2020.

 

20.

Dates of Future Meetings

To agree the following dates for Committee meetings in 2020/21

(Thursdays at 9.30 a.m.):

 

11 June 2020

17 September 2020

15 January 2021

18 March 2021

 

Minutes:

Resolved that the following dates be agreed for Committee meetings in 2020/2021:

 

Thursday at 9.30 am

 

11 June 2020

17 September 2020

14 January 2021

18 March 2021