Agenda item

Joint Report of the Director of Human Resources and the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services and the Director of Human Resources which provided information on the apprenticeship provider service and asked that approval be given to the proposed staffing structure with the creation of additional supporting roles.

The Chairman advised Members that the recommendation to approve the proposed structure of the apprenticeship provider service and additional supporting roles had been brought before the Community and Children’s Services Committee on 13 January 2017 where Members expressed their concerns about the cost of the proposed structure.

In relation to the staffing structure, the Director of Human Resources explained that the City Corporation funded roles would provide an opportunity for staff seeking redeployment and the proposed roles should be offered on a fixed-term basis. The Town Clerk advised the Committee that the apprenticeship scheme should provide benefits not only to young people, but also to the City Corporation.

In response to a Member’s question on the purpose of the proposed roles, the Director of Human Resources explained that although the apprentices would be managed on a day-to-day basis by City Corporation staff, the proposed roles would provide additional support such as recruitment and training.

Whilst acknowledging the importance and value of the scheme, a Member, also the Chairman of the Finance Committee suggested that future reports of this nature should, at the point of seeking agreement in principle, include associated costs for the purpose of clarity. The Chairman suggested that this point might be best considered by the Resource Allocation (Policy and Resources) Sub Committee.

RESOLVED – That the Committee:

a)    approve the proposed structure of the apprenticeship provider service; and

b)     approve the additional supporting roles which would be offered on fixed-term contracts.