Agenda and minutes

To be appointed from the Employers’ Side

(Extract from the Panel’s Terms of Reference:

“2.7  The Panel shall elect a Chairman and Vice-Chairman from its members. When the Chairman is a member of one side of the Panel, the Vice-Chairman shall be a member of the other side. The Chairman of the Panel shall be rotated on an annual basis between the Employees’ and Employers’ side. The Chairman of the meeting shall not have a casting vote.”)

The Chairman and Vice Chairman for 2014/2015 were:

          Mark Johnson - Chairman (Employees’ Side)

          Councillor Angela Rushen – Vice Chairman (Employers’ Side)

With the vote being unanimous, it was

          RESOLVED:

          That Councillor Patricia Warby be elected Chairman for 2015/2016.

To be appointed from the Employees’ Side

With the vote being unanimous, it was

          RESOLVED:

          That Mark Johnson be elected Vice-Chairman for 2015/2016.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Rona Burt (Forest Heath District Council  - Employers’ Side), Councillor Clive Springett (St Edmundsbury Borough Council – Employers’ Side) as well as Claire McKenna and Julie Roberts (Staff Representatives – Employees’ Side).

Councillor Carole Bull attended the meeting as substitute for Councillor Clive Springett (St Edmundsbury Borough Council – Employers’ Side).

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2015 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2015 were received and noted.

Report No: JSP/JT/16/001

The Service Manager (Human Resources and Organisational Development) presented this report which set out the West Suffolk workforce data for the twelve month period up to 31 December 2015.  The report also provided a comparison between the data as it stood now and with that reported to the previous meeting of the Panel; which was for the twelve month period up to 30 June 2015.

The West Suffolk average sickness level of 6.75 days was still far below the national average of 7.9 days, this was particularly pleasing bearing in mind that a large proportion of the workforce undertook manual operations, for example the waste operations staff.

At the last meeting of the Panel a question had been asked as to how West Suffolk compared to other neighbouring authorities.  The Officer had undertaken comparisons regionally and was pleased to report that West Suffolk continually fell below in both long and short term sickness absence.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

          RESOLVED:

That the contents of the workforce data, attached as Appendix A to Report No JSP/JT/16/001, be noted and supported.

Report No: JSP/JT/16/002

The Service Manager (Human Resources and Organisational Development) presented this report which outlined the new Fit for Work Service which came into effect on 8 September 2015.

This was a Government-funded service which provided Occupational Health assessments on referral from the employee’s GP or employer, where an employee is absent from work for at least four weeks.

Whilst the Officer welcomed the service it was noted that the West Suffolk Councils already used an existing occupational health service (WorkFit) with a wider range of benefits and the new scheme was not intended to replace this.  Any advice from Fit for Work would be taken into account as part of the process.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

          RESOLVED:

That the Fit for Work Service, as set out in Report No JSP/JT/16/002, be noted and supported.

Verbal report

The HR Business Partner provided the Panel with a verbal update on a number of recent legal and case law changes which had come into effect over the past few months.

Looking forward to April 2016 changes were also to be made in respect of the National Living Wage.  The Head of HR, Legal and Democratic Services added that this would, in due course, trigger a wholescale review of the Local Government pay scales.

The Panel was also advised that the Local Government Employers’ two-year NJC pay offer of 1% was now being balloted on.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

                   RESOLVED:

                   That the verbal update be noted.

Verbal report

The Service Manager (Human Resources and Organisational Development) provided the Panel with a presentation of the ongoing work across the West Suffolk Councils on the Organisational Development Plans.

Members were advised that a lot of work had been undertaken with Leadership Team and Service Managers, and in due course the plans would involve the wider workforce.  The Panel would continue to be updated on progress at future meetings. 

A question was asked to how progress on the Plans would be formally monitored and a suggestion was made for this to be undertaken via the joint meetings of the Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committees.  The Head of HR, Legal and Democratic Services agreed that consideration needed to be given on the most appropriate method for progress to be reported.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

          RESOLVED:

          That the verbal update be noted.

Verbal update

Mark Johnson advised the Panel that the Government had published consultation on the Trade Union Bill which brought about changes which he feared could affect relations between unions and employers.

He praised the good relationship that existed between the West Suffolk Councils and Unison and raised concern that the Bill could have an adverse affect on this.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

          RESOLVED:

          That the verbal update be noted.

The Head of HR, Legal and Democratic Services advised the Panel that she was looking to schedule in the next meeting during June/July 2016 and all members would be advised once scheduled.