Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all parties to the meeting.

None

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting as a correct record.

The Committee discussed various actions arising from this meeting and which needed to be the subject of a report to future meetings.

The following items (including matters arising from the minutes were agreed for the next meeting of the HR Committee on 8^th March 2018 and to be added to the Work Programme Action: James Brereton to add to Work Programme

Investment Strategy (arising from the Avon Pension Fund)

Guidant Group

Workforce Policy

Assessment of Business Plan

Training and Development

As a result of concerns raised by Councillors about the length of previous meetings, it was agreed that discussion of the possible use of timings for Agenda Items could be considered at the Agenda Planning stage for future meetings.

Resolved – that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 8^th December 2017 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.. Action: Jeremy Livitt

To receive any announcements from the Chair.

There was no business reported by the Chair.

NB. up to 30 minutes is allowed for this item.

Any member of the public or councillor may participate in Public Forum.  The detailed arrangements for so doing are set out in the Public Information Sheet at the back of this agenda.  Please note that the following deadlines will apply in relation to this meeting:-

Questions - Written questions must be received 3 clear working days prior to the meeting.  For this meeting, this means that your question(s) must be received in this office at the latest by5 pm on 19 January 2018

Petitions and Statements - Petitions and statements must be received on the working day prior to the meeting.  For this meeting this means that your submission must be received in this office at the latest by 12.00 noon on 24 January 2018.

Members noted the following Public Forum statement:

Statement Number 1 – Tom Merchant (UNISON): TUPE of Community Rehabilitation Workers (CRWs) to Bristol Community Health (BCH)

It was noted that, whilst the Terms and Conditions for staff who transferred under these arrangements would not change, there was no legal requirement for pension arrangements to remain exactly the same, only that they be broadly comparable.

The Committee further noted that the transfer was required by 1^st February 2018 and that the conditions for the transfer were unlikely to be met since it required an additional contribution to the Pension Fund. There was a proposal for the Bristol Community Health Council (BCH) to meet this requirement and their response was awaited.

In response to concerns raised by Councillors about consultation arrangements, officers confirmed that the HR Pensions Team had carried out 1 to 1 discussions with each person affected by the situation.

Action: HR to provide Committee members with details of the TUPE arrangements of CBWs to BCH – James Brereton/Mark Williams

It was noted that a report on Training and Development issues would be submitted to 8th March 2018 HR Committee.

There were no issues to report for this item.

To note the work programme.

The Committee noted the Work Programme and those items listed under Minute Number 4 to be discussed at the next meeting.

The Committee received a presentation from Steph Griffin (HR) on the Workforce Plan.

During the presentation, the following points were made:

·         There was a need to plan and adapt for the future needs of the organisation

·         The employer brand needed to be developed

·         An analysis of the workforce profile was required to ensure the appropriate strategic fit

·         Work was required with Service Managers to future proof the service and meet future needs

·         Details of the organisation’s values and behaviours were set out

·         There were six priority themes, set out on Page 24

·         Future priorities included the importance of reducing the use of agency staff

·         The focus was on creating a high performance organisation where staff were highly valued

·         The senior management restructure was important as a means to ensure the performance management process was properly implemented

·          The leadership development programme required appropriate internal communication and engagement

·         Diversity and inclusion would be refreshed through use of the organisation’s data

·         Health and Well Being would be weaved into everyday work and interventions with a high level of health support, including mental health

·         In terms of recruitment, it was intended to improve the experience for the applicant and target those areas where it was difficult to recruit staff

·         Whilst there would not be KPIs, there would be detailed action plans and individual working plans  to ensure there was effective implementation

Councillors made the following points concerning the presentation:

·         It was important to work with public sector partners to see how their future plans could impact on BCC

·         Motivation of staff was important. It was important that senior managers were instilled with a need to address any negative culture in the organisation. In addition, the use of 360 degree feedback and a non-Executive Councillor input were important

·         There was a need to address the problem of managers not carrying out regular appraisals and the difficulties this caused for employees, as well as the appropriate levels of responsibility

In response to Councillors’ questions, officers confirmed regardless of concerns over the lack of resources for training, that a programme of leadership development would be developed. Action: Officers to provide details of this to all Committee members.

Officers further advised that the current data systems would shortly be replaced to extract high quality data. It was acknowledged that, if appropriately used, these could be turned into a framework to help both the organisation and individuals to self-assess.

The Committee considered a report proposing adjustments to the original proposals for amendments to the constitution as follows:

·         Adjustments involving the retention of the selection committee but the replacement of the HR Committee with the Employment and Remuneration Committee.

·         Whilst the terms of Reference were still quite detailed, they would be made clearer

·         In addition officers were recommending that the Council’s Pay Policy Statement be amended to either remove the 10% salary bar or permit the Selection Committee to exceed the bar where it is appropriate to do so

Councillors expressed concern that the previous recommendation from HR Committee had been withdrawn from the previous Full Council Agenda due to the fact that the appropriate Executive Member had not been given sufficient time to consider it.

The following comments were made by Councillors:

·         Whilst most of the proposal was uncontentious, the proposed change to the constitution in respect of the 10% pay policy could not be supported by the Conservative Group

·         The decision to retain a separate Selection Committee would risk delaying any decision whilst this problem would not exist if there was a combined Employment and Remuneration Committee

·         The decision to recommend the existing pay policy had previously been made. It was inappropriate to change this now

·         If officers were proposing the change to the pay policy due to concerns about recruitment, an alternative would be to examine alternative methods to do this ie negotiating an agreement at the end of the probation period

In response to a members’ question, officers confirmed that any decision made at the Selection Committee to be held on 5^th February 2018 would be treated as a recommendation to the subsequent HR Committee to be held on 8^th March 2018.

The Committee also agreed that Councillor Craig Cheney (Deputy Mayor with responsibility for Finance, Governance and Performance) be invited to attend 8^th March 2018 meeting concerning this issue.

Resolved – that officers’ recommendation in this report is not supported and a decision is deferred pending a further report to be submitted to the next HR Committee on 8^th March 2018 – Councillor Craig Cheney to be invited to attend. Action: Mark Williams

That under s.100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it (they) involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) 1 (respectively) of Part 1 of schedule 12A of the Act.

Resolved – that under Section 100 (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

The Committee considered a report outlining the current arrangements for Interim Managers.

Officers advised that Interim Managers had been temporarily appointed pending the restructure process and had been hired through agencies as set out. It was BCC’s intention to reduce reliance on Interim Managers as soon as possible.

In response to Councillors’ questions, officers confirmed that:

·         The new structure set out how new posts would be filled. Promotions would take place from within the organisation

·         The mode of recruitment for agency appointees varied. In some cases, a Finder’s Fee was used

·         The recruitment process would be geared to reducing the need for interim managers. It would be managed to timetable in jobs in the appropriate sequencing

·         All Interim Managers appointed since April 2017 had been paid through the Personal Service Company. Details of the lowest and highest sums paid were provided. The appropriate Cabinet Member had been involved in the recruitment process where required

Resolved – that the report be noted.

The Committee considered this report concerning the pay and grading of JNC Chief Officer posts.

Members noted the schedule of appointments attached to the report. Details of the substantive posts and the proposed salaries were set out.

It was noted that the Director of Finance had been designated as an unchanged post. However, this was a post that also included additional statutory responsibilities such as benefit collection and Company work.

The Committee noted that the pay and grading arrangements in these cases demonstrated that recruitment and appointment was currently possible without agreement to remove the 10% salary bar.

Councillor Kye Dudd moved, seconded by Councillor Richard Eddy and, upon being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED:  (5 for, 1 against, Councillor Richard Eddy requested to be recorded as voting against) – that the Committee notes the results of the job evaluation of JNC Chief Officer roles and approves salaries set out in the report for the roles of Director: Children’s Services and Director: Finance in light of market pay data.

The Committee received a report by which the Council entered in to a binding agreement with a JNC Chief Officer to leave on voluntary severance without the required prior approval of the HR Committee being granted.

Members noted that an error had occurred in this instance and re-iterated that, in accordance with constitutional requirements, any future requests for VS should be submitted to the HR Committee for approval.

In response to a Councillor’s question, officers confirmed that, whilst there was no documentary evidence that an elected Councillor had been advised of the request prior to the VS offer being made, it was not possible to state whether or not the relevant Executive Member had been verbally informed.

Resolved – that the report be noted.

The Committee received an additional information item presenting the appointment process for the Senior Management Restructure.

Officers explained how the selection process would work. It was noted that the HR Committee would make a final decision on these appointments for recommendation to the subsequent meeting of Full Council.

Members requested that the slides for this meeting be placed on Modern.Gov for easier access (Note: Following this meeting, advice was received from the Deputy Monitoring Officer that it would be inappropriate to place the slides on Modern.Gov. The slides were e-mailed separately to Councillors as an exempt document).