Agenda and minutes

Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires a record be kept of the Members present and that this record form part of the minutes of the meeting. Members who cannot attend a meeting should tender apologies to the Town Clerk.

Apologies for absence had been received from Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors E Wallace (substituted by S Jones), K Ferguson (substituted by A Dodwell), J M Freeman and D Bowater (substituted by R Berry). Apologies were also received from V Cannon, Head of Cultural and Economic Services.

In the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair, it was proposed and seconded that Councillor K Cursons Chair the meeting.

(i)    Under the Localism Act 2011 (sections 26-37 and Schedule 4) and in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, Members are required to declare any interests which are not currently entered in the Member’s Register of Interests or if he/she has not notified the Monitoring Officer of it.

(ii)   Should any Member have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in an item on the agenda, the Member may not participate in consideration of that item unless a Dispensation has first been requested (in writing) and granted by the Council (see Dispensation Procedure).

Members were asked to declare any interests, including the nature of those interests, which they had in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. No declarations were made.

To receive questions and statements from members of the public in respect of any item of business included in the agenda, as provided for in Standing Order No.s 1(f) and 1(h).

No members of the public were present.

To receive and approve as a correct record the minutes of the Personnel Sub-Committee meeting held on 16 October 2017 (attached).

The minutes of the Personnel Sub-Committee meeting held on 16 October 2017 were received. 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Personnel Sub-Committee meeting held on 16 October 2017 be approved as a correct record and were signed accordingly. 

The Sub-Committee may consider it appropriate to consider the following resolution should they consider that any discussion would be prejudicial to the public interests: that, under the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, the public be excluded on the grounds of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted which involves the likely disclosure of exempt information. The public and press to withdraw from the meeting during consideration of detailed discussion regarding:  

(a)  Staff sickness absence (report attached)

(b)  Renewal of HR support service level agreement (report attached)

(c)  TACTIC Staffing

(d)  Cultural & Economic Services staffing

(e)  2017 employee appraisals

Personnel Sub-Committee: Terms of Reference

•                       Overview of staffing structure and staffing budget, ensuring that it is commensurate with objectives of the Council.

•                       Review staff sickness absence.

•                       Review staff training and identify and agree training needs for the Town Clerk and other senior members of staff.

•                       Ensure Council employees are working in a safe environment.

•                       Produce Code of Conduct for staff.

•                       Review policies and procedures affecting human resources.

•                       Review Job Description and Statement of Main Terms and Conditions of Town Clerk.

•                       Receive notification of the Town Clerk's annual leave and matters relating to overtime working and sickness.

•                       Informally hear any grievances raised by the Town Clerk.

•                       Informally advise the Town Clerk on any disciplinary matters.

•                       Succession plan for key staff who may wish to retire.

•                       Recruitment and/or termination of contract for the Town Clerk and other senior members of staff.

*phones and other equipment may be used to film, record, tweet or blog from this meeting by an individual Council member, officer or member of the public. No part of the meeting room is exempt from public filming unless the meeting resolves to go into exempt session. The use of images or recordings arising from this is not within the Council’s control.

The Sub-Committee considered that any further discussion regarding staffing matters would be prejudicial to the public interests.

RESOLVED that, under the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, the public be excluded on the grounds of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted which involves the likely disclosure of exempt information.  The public and press to withdraw from the meeting during consideration of detailed discussion regarding staffing matters.

The Sub-Committee received a report regarding staff sickness absence for the period July-November 2017. Three incidences of long term sickness absence had occurred and two referrals had been made to Occupational Health. Overall however, staff sickness absence was within the target level for the year. 

RESOLVED to note the report.

The Sub-Committee received a report regarding the provision of specialist Human Resources support to the Town Council. The Sub-Committee was advised of details of support provided by the current supplier during the two year contract term. Three organisations had been approached for quotations but only one was able to offer the level of face to face support deemed necessary to support the Town Council. 

The Sub-Committee was advised that from a starting position of requiring significant support to implement organisational change and amend all Town Council employment documents, it was now recognised by both parties that a lesser level of support was likely to be required moving forward. The proposed agreement had therefore been negotiated to reflect a specific level of support at a significantly reduced cost. However, the Personnel Sub-Committee would be advised if any unanticipated HR issues arose in future, which might necessitate a greater level of support and additional budget.

On being put to the vote, the recommendations were unanimously agreed.

RESOLVED to:

(i)         Renew the Service Level Agreement with Luton Borough Council for Human Resources and Occupational Health support for a three year term from 1 April 2018, at a cost of £21,600 for the three year period, based on up to 72 days service provision.

(ii)        That the Service Level Agreement for Human Resources and Occupational Health support be funded by the existing HR budget line (12/4388), which would be reduced from £16,000 per annum to £8,000 per annum from 2018-19, to reflect the level of anticipated need.

(iii)       Endorse that should the level of HR support needed exceed that outlined within the Service Level Agreement, that any additional cost be met from the Professional Fees budget (12/4384) where appropriate, or that where required, Committee approval be sought for budget from another source. 

The Sub-Committee received a report regarding staffing at the Teenage Advice and Information Centre. All recommendations would be met within the existing salary budget. On being put to the vote, the recommendations were unanimously agreed.

RESOLVED to:

(i)         Revise the existing 16 hour Youth Support Worker vacancy to create two roles: part time Youth Support Worker and TACTIC Administration Officer, to meet the expanding needs of the service.

(ii)        Extend the fixed term contract of the Centre Organiser role for a further six months from 31 March 2018. 

The Sub-Committee received a report regarding potential organisational change within the Cultural and Economic Services team as a result of changing organisational requirements. The rationale for the potential deletion of two posts was explained. It was proposed that these posts be replaced with a new “Service Officer” post to support the operational needs of the department. A job description was yet to be drafted and evaluated. 

It was noted that this was an operational rather than a cost saving exercise and agreed that the process would need to be handled sensitively. It was suggested that the wording of the Organisational Change Assessment document be improved.

On being put to the vote, the recommendations were unanimously agreed.

RESOLVED to:

(i)         Endorse the deletion of the job post of Partnership Officer.

(ii)        Endorse the deletion of the job post of Business Development and Projects Officer (vacant).

(iii)       Endorse that a period of employee consultation with regard to the job post of Partnership Officer be entered into, as outlined in the Organisational Change Assessment.  

(iv)      Endorse, in principle, the creation of a Service Officer role to meet the operational needs of the Cultural and Economic Services team (job description and job evaluation to be finalised).

The Sub-Committee received a report regarding employee appraisals for 2017. Now in the second year since adoption of the Employee Appraisal Procedure, during 2017 full appraisals had taken place, reviewing both the last twelve months and meeting of Town Council Core Competencies, with an overall score given, training needs identified and targets set for the following year.

Of 33 appraisals to be done, 27 had now been completed. For any employees scoring a 4 or 5, a Performance Improvement Plan had been devised and was being monitored by the relevant line manager. 

Thanks were expressed to all staff and particular thanks expressed to the Town Clerk for creating a positive and welcoming working environment for both staff and councillors.

RESOLVED to note the report.