Personnel Committee Meeting 06.05.2021

REMOTE Personnel - Thursday 6 May 2021 - PUBLIC

 

Agenda & meeting papers can be accessed in the PDF pack above.

Members of the public can view the meeting on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/9kt5BWqCOfA

MINUTES of a REMOTE Meeting of the Personnel Committee held on Thursday 6 May 2021 at 7:00pm

Present:

Councillor Kenneth Woolley (Chairman)

Councillor Matt Boles – ex officio

Councillor Tim Davies

Councillor Sean Graham

Councillor Pat O’Connor

Councillor Keith Panter – ex officio

Councillor Baptiste Velan

In Attendance:

Rachel Allbones                      Deputy Clerk & RFO

Sean Alcock                           Operations Manager

Jessica Flowers                      Admin Support Officer

Also Present:                         Councillor Paul Key

1. TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 Councillor Richard Craig

Councillor Sally Loates

2. TO RECEIVE MEMBERS’ DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None declared.

3. MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING (Paper A)

2021. Minutes of the meeting of Personnel Committee held Wednesday 10 March 2021.

 RESOLVED that the minutes of the Personnel Committee meeting held on Wednesday 10 March 2021 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Note: Councillors Davies, Graham, O’Connor and Velan abstained from voting on the above resolution.

4. STAFF HANDBOOK (Paper B)

 Committee to noted that at the meeting held on 15 July 2020 it was resolved:

 RESOLVED that the Committee agree to approve the use of draft contract of employment and instruct the Town Clerk to:

i. Create specific contracts for each position at the Council for review by the Committee;

ii. undertake a review of the Staff Handbook;

iii. bring forward documents that outline a standardised recruitment process, and;

iv. that the documents be put to the committee in stages and not all at one meeting.

Committee considered a reviewed version of the Staff Handbook in line with point 2 of the resolution above.

Due to the absence of the Clerk Members wanted to clarify with HR that they had been involved with the process and are happy with the revised document.

It was also noted that some Members of staff have not signed their new contracts issued by the Clerk.

RESOLVED to liaise with HR to ascertain what involvement they had in the production of the revised Staff Handbook and to meet with Members of staff to find out why contracts have not been signed.

5. SEASONAL GROUNDS MAINTENANCE OPERATIVE POST (Paper C)

Committee considered a report about recruitment to the post and possible options.

RESOLVED to attempt recruitment again, advertise as a 6 month post and not until end of September.

6. OFFICE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS (Paper D)

Committee received an update about office working arrangements and to considered any matters arising.

Members NOTED the reports and that Councillors Boles & Craig had met with staff and agreed to allow office working and adopt a common-sense approach with flexibility.

7. RECRUITMENT TO THE TOWN CLERK POSITION (Paper E)

Following the resignation of the current Town Clerk Members considered recruitment and associated job description, person specification and job advert.

Members considered shortlisting and interview panel noting that final selection and appointment will require a resolution of Full Council.

RESOLVED as follows:  –

• Approve the job advert
• Approve the job description
• Approve the person specification
• Approve advertising with LALC, NALC, SLCC, Facebook, Twitter, Job centre and the TC website
• Shortlisting and interview panel to be made up of Councillors Boles, Craig, Graham, O’Connor, Deputy Clerk and Katrina Evan from LALC. Reserve Councillors are Councillors Woolley & Davies.

 

 8. EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

 Due to the confidential nature, members RESOLVED to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the next item in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.

Note: The Operations Manager and Admin Support Officer left the meeting.

9. SICKNESS, ABSENCE AND LEAVE (Paper F)

 Committee NOTED the report relating to about staff sickness, absence, and leave. Members raised concerns about staff carrying forward holidays, and agreed to monitor holiday use.

10. PAY RANGE INCREASE 2021 (Paper G)

Committee noted and considered a report about pay range increase for 2021.

RESOLVED to NOTE the pay scale increases of the two members of staff and RECOMMEND to Finance and Strategy Committee to ratify the adjustments.

11. STAFF ISSUE (Paper H)

Members NOTED the contents of the report.

RESOLVED to:

i. allow the Admin Support Officer the flexibility to increase her hours to 37 per week when the need arises, paid either as salary or toil.

ii. hold a workshop type event for Members to look at the Councils main roles and responsibilities, and to look at adequate staffing levels.

The meeting concluded at 7.54pm