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 Councillors Paton, Barnes and Ali

Councillor Amin substituted for Councillor Ali.                           

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 9 October 2025 as a correct record.

The minutes of the previous meeting, 9 October2025, were discussed.

RESOLVED:

The minutes of the previous meeting, 9 October2025, were agreed as a true and accurate record of proceedings.

Report of the Chief People Officer.

The Head of Head of Employee Relations, Business Partners & Reward introduced the report.

It was explained that the workforce had increased slightly from the previous report and there had been an increase in pay of 3.7%, which was mainly due to increase in pay in April 2025.

It was noted there was a reduction in hours of agency workers. The Council continued to seek to reduce agency staff numbers.

General staffing updates were highlighted from the report, including recruitment of additional apprentices.

Following questions from Councillors, the following points were shared:

• It was explained that sickness figures had decreased generally per person across the workforce. However, it was noted that HR had been proactively managing sickness more.
  
  

RESOLVED:

That the Committee:

1. Noted the report

Report of the Chief People Officer.

The Head of Head of Employee Relations, Business Partners & Reward introduced the report.

The proposed changes to the Job Evaluation Policy, Induction Policy, Recruitment Policy were outlined. The Pay Policy Statement for 2026/27 was also outlined, for recommendation to Full Council.

It was explained that all policies were developed in collaboration with HR, Unions and colleagues across the Council to develop best practice, as well as worked to ACAS best practice guidelines.

Following questions from Councillors, the following points were shared:

It was explained that there was good guidance to support apprentices at the end of their apprenticeship to support them in applying for posts, and that there was the opportunity for internal only advertisements for apprenticeships to prioritise them. However, it was stressed there were frameworks to ensure fairness in recruitment.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee:

1.             Approved the changes to the Job Evaluation Policy and Induction Policy.

2.             Approved the changes to the Recruitment Policy as outlined at section 6.5 of this report.

3.             Approved and remitted the Pay Policy Statement 2026/27 for endorsement by Full Council on 2^nd March 2026.

To note any urgent business (if any).

There were none.

The next meeting is currently scheduled for 5 March 2026.

The date of the next meeting was noted. It was explained that it was not expected that there would be scheduled business, and unless that changed before the next meeting, the Committee agreed to cancel the following meeting.