Referral from Audit and Risk Management Committee at its meeting on 12 June, 2017 (minute 19 refers), which:

Resolved – That the matter of Attendance Management be escalated to Cabinet, and that:

(1)  Assurance be sought on the issue of compliance regarding the recording of absences has been addressed, that these are properly recorded, lessons are learned, and appropriate actions taken, and

(2)  CABINET be requested to track data in sufficient depth so that areas of concern are correctly identified to provide assurance.

Minute and Internal Audit report, which references Attendance Management, is attached.

The Cabinet received a report entitled Internal Audit Update which had been referred to it by the Audit and Risk Management Committee at its meeting on 12 June, 2017 along with the subsequent Committee Minute No. 19.  It was noted that the Committee had

‘RESOLVED:

That the matter of Attendance Management be escalated to the Cabinet, and that:

(1)  assurance be sought on the issue of compliance regarding the recording of absences has been addressed, that these are properly recorded, lessons are learned, and appropriate actions taken; and

(2)  the Cabinet be requested to track data in sufficient depth so that areas of concern were correctly identified to provide assurance.’

The Assistant Director: HR and Organisational Development was in attendance at the meeting to respond to the issues of attendance management and compliance that had been raised. She referred to the Council’s 2016/17 Attendance Management Policy and informed that her officers were working with officers in Internal Audit to identify under reporting and that initiatives were now in place to support managers. Regular reports were being prepared so that the Senior Leadership Team could monitor the situation.  Also, work based training and learning looking particularly at the Policy’s application was available for Managers to complete.

Councillor Phil Davies informed that he was pleased that steps had been taken to tighten up on compliance with the Attendance Management Policy.  He requested that a report on these issues be prepared for consideration by the Audit and Risk Management Committee in three months’ time and that the report be then referred to the Cabinet for its consideration.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the contents of the report and Audit and Risk Management Committee’s subsequent Minute No. 19 be noted; and

(2)  a report on Attendance Management and issues associated with compliance with this Policy be prepared for consideration by the Audit and Risk Management Committee in three months’ time and that the report be then referred to the Cabinet for its consideration.

The Acting Head of Human Resources / Organisational Development introduced his report that set out the Council’s position in relation to its performance in completing employee appraisals in 2016/17. The report stated that the Council’s performance in this area had been a regular item for discussion at Audit and Risk Management Committee as part of the Annual Governance Statement update reports, and that, at its meeting held on 30 January 2017, Members had requested a report on the latest position in respect of employee appraisals.

The Acting Head of Human Resources / Organisational Development informed of the background to the process, which uses a top-down staged approach for completing appraisal throughout the year, starting with Chief Officers. Members noted that this approach was used in order that senior management objectives were aligned with corporate objectives and compliance with the Wirral Plan, Service Plans and supporting strategies.

The Committee was advised of the current levels of performance against performance appraisals 2016/17. The report showed that 92% of managers had received their appraisals by 31 March 2017, compared to 46% recorded and completed in 2014/15 and 78% in 2015/16. The Acting Head of Human Resources / Organisational Development informed that there was a clear expectation that all employees have an annual appraisal and that the process must be embedded and valued as part of a performance management culture.

Members commented on the report expressing the importance of the measures, particularly in terms of quality, values and behaviour and the link between performance appraisal reviews and training.

A Member also commented on the importance of Senior Management appraisal, and noted the inclusion of the statistical breakdown of the figures between Managers and ‘All Staff’ detailed in Appendix One to the report.

The Committee questioned the Officer on a number of key points within his report and expressed views on such matters as:

• expectations regarding the quality of appraisals and the impact on values and behaviour;
• the importance of the appraisal of senior management year-on-year;
• review against a set of key objectives and information about good / moderate / poor performance and the monitoring of any actions agreed;
• the addressing of training needs – the responsibility of which falls to service management and Departmental Management Teams (DMTs); and
• the quality of data collection and where this is held; and the tracking and review of objectives and identification of training needs.

Resolved – That

(1)  the Committee notes and takes into account the response of the officers to ensure that the system for appraisal and staff development be improved; and

(2)  a further report be brought back to the Audit and Risk Management Committee on the points raised by Members above.