Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 2 - Wallasey Town Hall

Contact: Andrew Mossop  Principal Committee Officer

Items
No. Item

52.

Members' Code of Conduct - Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to consider whether they have personal or prejudicial interests in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state what they are.

Minutes:

Members of the Committee were requested to declare whether they had an interest, either personal or prejudicial, in any item on the agenda and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest.

 

No such declarations were made.

53.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 66 KB

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November, 2011.

Minutes:

The Committee was requested to receive the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November.

 

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November, 2011, be approved.

54.

Managing Attendance pdf icon PDF 95 KB

Minutes:

The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management submitted a report updating the Committee on the current attendance management position.

 

A breakdown of sickness absence figures for quarters 1 and 2 and comparative data for 2008/9, 2009/10 and 2010/11, by quarter and by full year, was shown in appendix 1 to the report. Sickness levels for quarter 3 (2.42 days) showed an improvement against previous years (2.85, 2.97 and 3.4). The projected figure for 2011/12 had been calculated at 8.72 against a target for the year of 9.8 days.

 

The report also contained information on the implementation of the Fit4Wirral action plan and the ‘flu vaccination programme.

 

The Head of HR and OD in response to Members’ comments informed the meeting that work was being progressed on benchmarking data and improved reporting of figures would be available within the next six months. She would also be able to provide Committee Members with the figures on the take up of the ‘flu vaccine and whether or not it was up or down.

 

Resolved – That the report be noted.

55.

Update on Managing Workforce Change and Redeployment pdf icon PDF 68 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management, submitted a report providing an update on the management of workforce change and outlined progress on the successful redeployment of employees throughout the Council. There were currently 13 people on the redeployment register. An exempt appendix to the report gave further information on the employees on the register.

 

Resolved – That the report be noted.

56.

Cycle to Work Scheme pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Minutes:

The Director of Finance submitted a report which sought the Committee’s approval to replace the current Cycle to Work Salary Sacrifice Scheme with a simplified Cycle Loan.

 

The salary sacrifice scheme had operated successfully in Wirral since 2008. 464 employees had used the scheme to lease bicycles intended for use for travel to and from work. The nature of the scheme meant that the Council made savings on employers’ National Insurance contributions. However, this had only been £21,120 over the three years of operation.

 

A ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding how VAT should be treated had made the administration of the scheme unwieldy. The ruling also made the scheme less attractive to employees as they would become liable for VAT on the purchase price of the cycle.

 

It was proposed to replace the scheme with a more easily managed interest free loan which was cheaper to administer and afforded staff the same opportunity to acquire cycles thereby continuing to support the positive health and environmental aspects of the scheme.

 

Resolved –

 

(1)  That the Salary Sacrifice ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme is ceased and replaced with an interest free Cycle Loan.

 

(2)  That a further report be brought back on the Employee Travel Scheme options.

57.

Senior Management Recruitment Processes pdf icon PDF 75 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management submitted a report which sought the Committee’s approval for the appointment of a Sub-Committee for the recruitment of a Director of Regeneration, Housing and Planning.

 

The Committee at its meeting on 29 September 2011 agreed the following (Minute 36 refers):

 

“That the posts of Director of Regeneration, Housing and Planning; Head of Strategic Development and Regeneration and Head of Housing be established on a permanent basis and that an appropriate recruitment process to fill these posts be commenced.

 

That the post of Head of Finance and Performance in the Department of Adult Social Services be established on a permanent basis, and that a recruitment process to fill the post is commenced.

 

That the Interim Director of Children’s Services be asked to continue as the Acting Director of Children’s Services for a further year on a fixed term basis, and that an external  recruitment process takes place to ensure that a new Director of Children’s Services is in post by the end of September 2012.”

 

Resolved – That this Committee -

 

(1)  Notes the upcoming Senior Management Recruitment processes for 2012.

 

(2)  Notes that the proposed future restructure of the Department of Adult Social Services will be presented to the next Employment and Appointments Committee, and to approve the extension of the fixed term contract for the current post holder of the Head of Finance and Performance: DASS, for up to six months, effective from 1 January 2012, pending the restructure.

 

(3)  Agrees the appointment of a proportionate sub-committee of five members to reflect the balance of the political groups on The Employment and Appointments Committee and comply with the rules of proportionality. The Sub-Committee to have delegated responsibility for the recruitment process of the Director of Regeneration, Housing and Planning and the Director of Children’s Services, and to appoint to these positions.

 

(4)  Agrees the dates for the recruitment process for the Director of Regeneration, Housing and Planning.

 

(5)  Delegates the timetable for the recruitment of the Director of Children’s Services to the Chief Executive, to be brought back to the Employment and Appointments Sub-Committee.

58.

Senior Management Recruitment Contract pdf icon PDF 70 KB

Minutes:

The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management submitted a report which gave details of the award of the Senior Management Recruitment contract to Penna Plc following a tender process in which ten submissions were received, analysed and evaluated. The contract would run from 16 January 2012 to 15 January 2013, with an option to extend for a further year.

 

Penna Plc was a private company with over 20 years experience in Senior Management Recruitment Contracts in both the private and public sector, including extensive work with a number of Local Authorities.

 

The spend for the duration of the contract, until 15 January 2013 was dependent on the number of Chief Officer and Head of Service roles that required external advertisement. The estimated spend was attached as an exempt appendix to the report and was based on two Director roles; the Director of Regeneration, Housing and Planning, and the Director of Children’s Services; and one Head of Service role in the Department of Adult Social Services.

 

Resolved – That the award of the senior management recruitment contract to Penna plc, be noted.

59.

Senior Management Changes pdf icon PDF 68 KB

Minutes:

The Chief Executive reported upon senior manager changes within the Council. The post holder of the Head of Support Services, Finance Department had left the Council on 6 January 2012 by mutual agreement. The post holder of the Head of Community Services, Department of Adult Social Services had left the Council on 9 January 2012 by mutual agreement.

 

Resolved – That the report be noted.

60.

Appeals Sub-Committee Minutes pdf icon PDF 41 KB

The minutes of the Appeals Sub-Committee meetings held on 10 and 29 November and 20 December, 2011 are submitted for information.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the Appeals Sub-Committee meetings held on 10 and 29 November and 20 December, 2011 were submitted for information.

 

Responding to a question from Councillor Rennie, the Chief Executive commented that he would brief Committee spokespersons in respect of any disciplinary procedures invoked as a result of the Martin Smith report.

 

Resolved – That the minutes be noted.

61.

Exempt Information - Exclusion of Members of the Public

The public may be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information.

 

RECOMMENDED –

 

That in accordance with section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to that Act. The public interest test has been applied and favours exclusion.

Minutes:

Resolved - That, under section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act. The public interest test has been applied and favours exclusion.

62.

Exempt Appendix - Managing Workforce Change and Redeployment

Appendix 2 to agenda item 4, exempt by virtue of paragraph 1.

Minutes:

Further to minute 55 ante, the Committee noted the exempt appendix to the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management’s report.

63.

Exempt Appendix - Senior Management Recruitment Contract

Appendix to agenda item 7, exempt by virtue of paragraph 1.

Minutes:

Further to minute 58 ante, the Committee noted the exempt appendix to the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management’s report.

64.

Exempt Appendices - Senior Management Changes

Appendices to agenda item 8, exempt by virtue of paragraph 1.

(To be tabled)

Minutes:

Further to minute 59 ante, the Committee considered and noted the exempt appendix to the Chief Executive’s report which had been circulated at the meeting and which gave details of the financial implications of the senior management changes.

 

The Chief Executive responded to a number of comments made by Members.

 

Councillor Foulkes stated that as Leader of the Council, he had had a conversation with the Chief Executive in advance of these changes but that it was for the Chief Executive to take the decision himself in consultation with those senior officer colleagues who he needed to consult. It was not for politicians to be involved in making such decisions.

 

The Chief Executive confirmed that it was his decision.

 

A member suggested that a report on the general policy of compromise agreements should be brought to a future meeting of the Committee.

65.

Allegations Against Employees

Exempt by virtue of paragraph 1.

Minutes:

The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management provided details of allegations of serious or gross misconduct made against employees and advised of the action taken in each case.

 

Resolved – That the report be noted.