Agenda and draft minutes

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for

live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone

attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask

members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to

include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting

should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or

recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating

in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral

protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or

reported on. By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area,

you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images

and sound recordings.

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or

recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or

reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any

individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Chair referred to the filming at meetings notice, and attendees noted this information.

RESOLVED:

That the filming procedure was noted.

To receive any apologies for absence and substitutions.

Apologies were received from Councillor Paton and Haydee Nunes De Souza.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of Urgent Business.

(Late items of Urgent Business will be considered under the agenda item

where they appear. New items of Urgent Business will be dealt with under

agenda item 9 below.

There was none.

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a

matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is

considered:

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest

becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must

withdraw from the meeting room.

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which

is not registered in the Register of Members’ Interests or the subject of a

pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28

days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests

are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of

Conduct

There were none.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B,

paragraph 29 of the Council’s constitution.

There were none.

To agree the minutes of the previous meeting held on 1 July 2025 as a correct record.

The minutes of the previous meeting, 1 July 2025, were discussed.

RESOLVED:

The minutes of the previous meeting, 1 July 2025, were agreed as a true and accurate record of proceedings.

The Chief People Officer introduced the report.

The People Report showed a slight increase in permanent staff and a significant drop in agency and off-payroll workers, leading to reduced staffing costs. Sickness absence improved, with fewer days lost and lower related expenses. Apprenticeship levels stayed stable, with growth in Adults, Housing and Health due to restructuring. Overall, the Council made progress in workforce stability, cost efficiency, and employee retention.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee:

1. Noted the report.

The Chief People Officer introduced the report.

HR updated several policies to improve clarity, legal compliance, and consistency. Key changes included revisions to the Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest, and Menopause at Work policies. Updates addressed conduct expectations, working abroad, reporting concerns, and support for menopause-related issues. Additional policies were planned for review by April 2026.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee:

i)               The Committee considered and approved the changes to the Code of Conduct Policy, Conflict of Interest Policy and the Menopause at Work Policy and Guidance.

ii)              The Committee approved the change to the organisational change policy as detailed at section 6.6.

iii)            The Committee approved the change to the disciplinary policy as detailed at section 6.7.

iv)            Noted the remaining HR policies to be presented to this Committee throughout the rest of this municipal year ending April 2026.

RESOLVED:

The meeting of the Appointments Panel held on 22 July 2025 was noted.

There were none.

Items 12 and 13 contain exempt information as defined under paragraphs 1 and 4, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. The Committee is asked to consider that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting.

That the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting as item 12 contains exempt information as defined under paragraph 1, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972: Information relating to an individual.

RESOLVED:

The Committee considered the exempt information.

The exempt minutes of other bodies were discussed.

RESOLVED:

The exempt minutes of other bodies were noted

The date of the next meeting is scheduled for 22 January 2026.

The date of the next meeting was noted as 22^nd January 2026.