Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room - 2nd Floor West Wing, Guildhall. View directions

Contact: Amanda Thompson
tel. no.: 020 7332 3414  Email: amanda.thompson@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Deputy Jamie Ingham Clark.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

2.

Members' Declarations under the Code of Conduct in respect of items on the agenda

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Outstanding Actions Report pdf icon PDF 68 KB

Report of the Town Clerk.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk which provided details of outstanding actions from previous meetings.


RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 224 KB

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 17 October (copy attached).

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 4.

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 17 October be approved as a correct record subject to the following amendments:

 

Officers

The inclusion of Amanda Mays under Officers present.

 

 

10.       Comptroller & City Solicitor’s Departmental Risk Management Report

 

Replace Community & Children’s Services with Comptroller & City Solicitor.

 

MATTERS ARISING

 

The Director of Human Resources (DHR) reported that the viability of providing onsite childcare had been explored and was not considered feasible for the CoL. She advised that the majority of the workforce was a commuting one and childcare vouchers were available.

 

The DHR reported that the provision of free flu jabs had been explored but would not be cost effective for the CoL as these were available elsewhere.

 

The DHR reported that in relation to mental health at work managers were now being trained to recognise the signs of stress and were being trained on how to raise this with staff and provide guidance on how to address it. It was agreed that a report on this should be brought to a future meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Maternity, Adoption and Shared Parental Pay pdf icon PDF 102 KB

Report of the Director of Human Resources

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 5.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report concerning the review of the City Corporation’s Maternity, Adoption and Shared Parental pay policies which had been undertaken to improve these provisions in line with other employers who were committed to family friendly policies.

 

The DHR reported that although the employing department would continue to fund the full cost of maternity pay, it would be met from local risk budgets, however any departments that suffered adversely due to high numbers of staff taking maternity leave would be reported to the Committee.

 

Members questioned why the costs could not be met from a central budget and it was agreed that a report back on alternative methods of funding should also be reported.

 

RESOLVED - To

 

1)            Enhance maternity, adoption and shared parental pay to 16 weeks at full pay and 24 weeks at half pay, inclusive of statutory payments; and

 

2)            Include a return to work clause of 6 months to retain the ½ pay element (usually 24 weeks minus any statutory maternity pay) of the occupational pay element of maternity, adoption and shared parental pay within these policies

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Revenue Budgets 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 201 KB

Report of the Town Clerk, the Chamberlain, the Comptroller and City Solicitor.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 6.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The Committee received a joint report of the Town Clerk, Chamberlain, and Comptroller and City Solicitor which sought approval from Members for the provisional revenue budget for 2018/19, for subsequent submission to the Finance Committee.

 

The Assistant Town Clerk reported that he was aware that there was currently no budget for Member’s facilities such as stationary and furniture and it was agreed that this be considered and reported back in the general budget report.

 

RESOLVED - To

 

1)         Critically review the provisional 2018/19 revenue budget to ensure that it reflects the Committee’s objectives;

2)         Note the unidentified savings lines for Town Clerk’s Budgets of £358,000 and the estimated £169,000 over the local risk resource base on the Comptrollers and City Solicitor’s Budgets;

3)         Approve the budget for submission to the Finance Committee and

4)         Authorise the Chamberlain to revise these budgets to reflect any further implications arising from the Service Based Reviews and other corporate efficiency projects.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

High Level Business Plans for 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 146 KB

Report of the Town Clerk, the Chamberlain, the Comptroller and City Solicitor.

 

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report presenting the draft high-level business plan for the Town Clerk’s Department (Corporate and Member Services), Corporate HR and the Comptroller and City Solicitor’s Department for 2018/19, which was presented alongside the departmental estimate report to enable the draft ambitions and objectives to be discussed in conjunction with the draft budget for the forthcoming year.

 

RESOLVED – That the draft high-level business plans for 2018/19 for the Town Clerk’s Department (Corporate and Member Services), Corporate HR and the Comptroller and City Solicitor’s Department be noted.

 

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Operation of the Scheme of Delegations pdf icon PDF 83 KB

Report of the Director of Human Resources.

 

(The appendix to this report is confidential and attached in Part 3 of the agenda.)

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 8.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Director of Human Resources which provided information on redundancies, early retirements, ill health retirements and Market Forces Supplements (MFS) in the reporting period 1 July 2017 – 30 September 2017.

 

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Buying Annual Leave pdf icon PDF 101 KB

Report of the Director of Human Resources.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 9.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the DoHR concerning a pilot scheme for the buying of additional annual leave.

 

The DoHR advised that the buying additional leave scheme would be trialled for 1 year to enable any adjustment to the scheme to be made and the full impact of administering the scheme to be considered.  A report would then be brought back to the Committee for decision prior to a permanent scheme being implemented.

 

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Attracting Talent pdf icon PDF 162 KB

Report of the Director of Human Resources.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the DHR updating on the Attracting Talent project which aimed to review the City of London Corporation’s employer brand, commitment to reduce barriers to entry, and workforce and succession planning.

 

The DHR advised that detailed external research and analysis of the end to end recruitment practice within the City Corporation and its image as an employer had resulted in a number of wide ranging proposals. These were both short and longer term changes to try and attract a more diverse pool of applicants and in turn successfully recruit and establish a more diverse workforce.

 

A Member expressed concern regarding the profile data for BAME applicants and welcomed the proposals for positive action to address this.

 

RESOLVED – That the progress on the project be noted.

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Work-Life Balance pdf icon PDF 76 KB

Report of the Director of Human Resources.

 

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the DHR updating on the review of the various types of leave and time off from work available that enabled staff to balance their work and home life.

 

The DHR reported that the review of policies had identified that there was a full range of provisions that supported staff and by advertising these to job seekers this could also attract a more diverse range of candidates for employment and aid recruitment and retention.

 

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Register of Interests for Chief Officers pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Report of the Director of Human Resources

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the DHR which provided Members with an updated Register of Interests for Chief Officers.

 

A Member questioned why officers were required to declare interests outside of work and stated that they should only be required to declare any which might impact on their working life. The Member further stated that it was quite clear that there was a difference of view between officers regarding what they needed to declare.

 

The Deputy Chairman advised that the reason Chief Officers were required to do this was the same as Members, in case there was a conflict of interest, and it was also good governance.

 

The DHR suggested that the guidelines for the Chief Officers Register of Interests should be reviewed.

 

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and a review of the Guidelines on the Declaration of Interests for Chief Officers be undertaken.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

Questions on Matters Relating to the Work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

14.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent

Minutes:

There were no urgent items.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

15.

Exclusion of the Public

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 15.

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Non-Public Minutes

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2017.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 16.

Minutes:

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 5 December were approved.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

17.

Outstanding Actions Report

Report of the Town Clerk.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 17.

Minutes:

The Committee noted a report of the Town Clerk which provided details of non-public outstanding actions from previous meetings.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

18.

Extension of Honoraria for Assistant Directors

Report of the City Surveyor.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 18.

Minutes:

This item was considered in Part 3 of the agenda.

 

The Committee received and considered an extension of honoraria report.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

19.

New Ways of Working - Guildhall Complex Space Programme

Report of the City Surveyor

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 19.

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered a report of the City Surveyor in relation to the Guildhall Space Programme.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

20.

Non-Public Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

21.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent and which the Committee agrees should be considered whilst the Public are excluded

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

22.

Confidential Minutes

To agree the Confidential minutes of the last meeting held on 17 October 2017.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 22.

Minutes:

The confidential minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2017 were approved.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

23.

Restructure of the Barbican Centre/Guildhall School of Music & Drama In-House Engineering Function

Report of the Director of Operations & Buildings, Barbican/Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 23.

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered a report of the Director of Operations & Buildings, Barbican/Guildhall School of Music and Drama in relation to the in-house engineering function.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

24.

Human Resources Restructure

Report of the Director of Human Resources.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 24.

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered a report of the DHR relating to the review of the Corporate HR’s structure.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

25.

Operation of the Scheme of Delegations - Appendix

This appendix relates to item 8 on the agenda – Operation of the Scheme of Delegations.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 25.

Minutes:

The Committee noted the Confidential appendix to the Scheme of Delegations report considered at agenda item 8.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

26.

Any Other Business

Minutes: