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.

No apologies had been received.

(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 22 October 2018.

The minutes of the Personnel Sub-Committee meeting held on 8 October 2018 were received.  

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Personnel Sub-Committee meeting held on 8 October 2018 be approved as a correct record and were signed accordingly.

To receive a report regarding the Employee Handbook (attached) and to consider the recommendation/s contained therein.

The Sub-Committee received a report requesting that consideration be given to proposed changes to the Employee Handbook, which formed part of the terms and conditions of employment for staff. Changes were simply to reflect changes in adopted policies and procedures and had been reviewed by the Council’s retained HR provider.

RESOLVED to note the report.

RECOMMENDED to the Policy and Finance Committee to approve the proposed changes to the Employee Handbook.

To receive a report regarding corporate values (attached) and to consider the recommendation/s contained therein.

The Sub-Committee received a report in respect of the potential to adopt “corporate values” or “behaviours” which, on being adopted by Council, would apply equally to elected Members and to employees of the Council. It was suggested that staff and Councillors be consulted on the proposed values/behaviours and that final proposals be brought to Council later in 2019.

RESOLVED:

(i)         To note the report.

(ii)        To approve, in principle, the development of council-wide core organisational values/behaviours which would apply equally to Councillors and employees.

(iii)       To approve that following a consultation process with staff and elected Members, proposals be brought to Council later in 2019. 

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:  

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 brief verbal update in respect of several staffing matters.

RESOLVED to note the information.