With the agreement of the Chair, the Committee considered the following item of urgent business, in view of the need for a decision prior to the next meeting of the Committee.

A joint report by the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management and Acting Director of Children’s Services sought to inform Members of serious difficulties in the recruitment and retention of Social Work staff in the Children and Young People’s Department. It also demonstrated immediate pressures affecting the Department. The report compared salaries of Social Workers with other North West Authorities.

Risks were identified to Members as set out in paragraph 3 of the report regarding recruitment issues and inevitable problems that the Social Care Branch and Council would face if the recommendations were not agreed.

The Leader, Councillor Jeff Green, stressed that as the Council’s priority was to safeguard children he welcomed the recommendations as set out in the report.

Councillor Phil Davies shared his concerns as were identified in paragraph 3 of the report. He also expressed how safeguarding children was the Council’s ultimate priority. He then asked the Director of Children’s Services if he was confident that the recommendations would go far enough.

The Acting Director and Deputy Director of Children’s Services responded to clarify that if the recommendations were to be agreed this would be a substantial gesture.

Resolved – That,

(1)  the Employment and Appointments Committee agree the extension of the market rate supplement to the following:

·  Social Workers -  retention only (as recruitment payment is already paid)

·  Practice /Team Managers – recruitment and retention payment

·  Principal Team Managers - recruitment and retention payment;

(2)  a review of the payments once the job evaluation process is complete will be bought back to the Employment and Appointments Committee; and

(3)  a further report will be bought to the Employment and Appointments Committee addressing wider workforce issues across all social care staff both in adults and children’s; and

(4)  members agree the implementation of the recommended short term recruitment and retention payments for CYPD. This will be funded from the £1million EIG prevention budget for CYPD.