Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Randall Anderson, Deputy Stephen Haines, Deputy Jamie Ingham Clark, Deputy Richard Regan and Ruby Sayed.

The Chair welcomed Natasha Lloyd-Owen who was attending the meeting as a guest of the Committee and was invited to speak on ITEM 7: Ban the Box.

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 10^th July 2019.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes of the meeting held on 10^th July 2019 be approved as an accurate record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

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

AOB – Chair’s appraisal process

Members agreed to issue a resolution to the Policy and Resources Committee asking P&R to encourage the Members of other Grand and Sub-Committee’s to carry out an annual performance appraisal of their respective Chairman/Chair.

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes the report and a resolution be issued to Policy and Resources Committee.

To note the draft public minutes of the Senior Remuneration Sub-Committee.

The Committee received the draft public minutes of the Senior Remuneration Sub-Committee meeting on 29^th July 2019.

A Member highlighted several typographical errors, the Chairman asked the Town Clerk to correct these before the next meeting of the Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the minutes.

The Director of Human Resources to be heard.

The Committee received a verbal update regarding Brexit from the Director of HR.

The Director reiterated the Corporation’s commitment to supporting staff who were EU nationals, adding that after a recent visit by the Home Office, the Corporation was described as an exemplar to other authorities in terms of preparedness. Whilst clearly the situation was fluid, HR were encouraging all effected staff to complete their settled status applications before 31^st October.

Members asked the Director and her senior team to continue to be proactive, they welcomed the Home Office’s offer to return to run workshops for employees. In addition, HR would be offering insight lunches, providing up-to-date communication and guidance to all employees effected, and would be writing to Chief Officers to ensure that individual departments were also taking a proactive approach to ensuring all staff were supported.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the verbal update.

Report of the Director of HR.

The Committee considered a Report of the Director of HR concerning the ‘Ban the Box’ campaign.

Members expressed their robust support for the campaign; it was critical to recognize the link between joblessness and recidivism, and initiatives like removing the criminal convictions tick box at the application stage was a very useful tool in giving ex-offenders an opportunity to secure gainful employment. A Member asked officers to reach out to Bristol City Council which had introduced a ‘Ban the Box’ policy last year.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the Report and endorsed the development of a policy in support of the ‘Ban the Box’ campaign.     

Report of the Director of HR

The Committee considered a Report of the Director of HR concerning Job Families.

Members were of the view that the Report did not provide sufficient detail about the potential advantages of introducing Jobs Families and suggested that drawing comparisons with local authorities that operated a jobs families policy would be a helpful next step.

The Director of HR stressed that jobs families should not be seen in isolation, but it was an important component of HR’s upcoming overarching review of pay scales and grading, issues which had not been examined in several years. The first part of the Report would be submitted to Members later in 2019.

It was important expressed one Member, to start with identifying the problems; for instance, some chief officers, he added, particularly those that managed departments with a more commercial focus, had expressed frustration with the inflexibility of current Corporation wide policies. Once the problems had been determined, potential solutions, including jobs families, could be explored.  

The Chair added that a separate strategic session of the Committee focussed on Pay and Grading would be beneficial. The Director of HR would liaise with the Town Clerk in identifying an appropriate time for a session over the coming months.        

RESOLVED – that the Committed noted the Report.

Report of the Director of HR.

The Committee considered a Report of the Director of HR concerning the introduction of a Premature Baby Paid Leave Scheme where babies are born before 37 weeks.

RESOLVED – that the Committee approved the following:

·         Approved the implementation of a Premature Baby Paid Leave Scheme for

inclusion in the maternity and paternity policies

·         Approved Option 2: Employees will be entitled to receive an extra day of Premature Baby Paid Leave for every day between the date their baby is born and the expected date of birth. The leave entitlement will be added to the end of the employee’s Maternity Leave period after this leave entitlement has been exhausted.

·         Approve the signing of the Employer with Heart Charter

Report of the Chief Grants Officer & Director of City Bridge Trust

The Committee received a Report of the Chief Grants Officer and Director of City Bridge Trust.

Although content to approve the Report, it was apparent that many of those volunteering had failed to record this on the corporate system; Members requested that officers return to the Committee with a further analysis of staff volunteering rates.

RESOLVED – that the Committee approved the following:

·         Approve the expanded scope of the Employee Volunteering Programme which provides 14 hours paid leave per employee per year to enable staff to find their own volunteering opportunities within appropriate parameters.

·         Delegate authority to the Town Clerk (Chief Grants Officer and Director of Human Resources) to define and agree the revised parameters on the expanded offer for inclusion in the Special Leave and Time Off Policy, which will be communicated to staff to increase awareness take up of volunteering.

Report of the Director of HR.

The Committee received a Report of the Director of HR concerning the Corporate HR Dashboard.

Members noted that there appeared to have a relatively high number of disciplinary and grievances cases. Officers responded that whilst this was a high rate it reflected line managers taking a pro-active approach to behaviour which fell below the Corporations standards.

Member asked officers to return with more analysis concerning the following:

Why do 36% of new starters leave within their first year.

How effective were the City’s Mental Well-Being policies in helping to reduce absence? how do the City’s absences for stress compare with other similar organisations?

A Member asked the Town Clerk to forward details of the Corporation’s Employee Assistance Programme; the Town Clerk confirmed that, in addition to employees, this service was available to Members to use.

A Member encouraged the Committee to support the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and the Samaritan’s programme, Wellbeing in the Workplace.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the Report

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

The Committee received a Joint Report of the Town Clerk, the Chamberlain and the Comptroller and City Solicitor.

RESOLVED – that the Committee noted the Report.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items.

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.

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.

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 10^th July 2019.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 10^th July were approved.

Joint Report of the Town Clerk and the City Surveyor.

The Committee considered a Report of the City Surveyor concerning Smart Working.

There were no questions.

There were no items of urgent business.

To agree the Confidential minutes of the last meeting held on 10 July 2019.

The confidential minutes of the meeting held on 10^th July were approved.

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a Report of the Chamberlain concerning the Head of Police Authority Finance.

Report of the Director of Consumer Protection and Markets Operations.

The Committee considered a Report of the Director of Consumer Protection and Markets Operations.

Report of the Director of HR.

The Committee received a Report of the Director of HR concerning a draft timetable for consultation with the trade unions and staff representatives on the pay award for 2020.

The Town Clerk to be heard.

The Town Clerk provided a brief verbal update to the Committee.

To note the confidential draft public minutes of the Senior Remuneration Sub-Committee.

The Committee noted the Confidential Minutes of the Senior Remuneration Sub-Committee meeting on 29^th July.