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 attendees noted the filming at meetings notice.

To receive any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

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 items 7 &9 ).

There were no items of urgent business.

There were no declarations of interest put forward.

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

paragraph 29 of the Council’s constitution.

There were no deputations, petitions or questions.

The Chief People Officer set out the reasons for consideration of this report which was seeking approval by the Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services to increase the spend on the contract for the provision of temporary staff to £32,504,910. This was for the remaining duration of the contract which was due to end on the 18^th of July 2025.

It was noted that there had been two previous variations from the start of the contract in July 2021, with the first variation for £1495,090 to allow for permanent recruitment of some agency staff. There had been a further £20M variation agreed by Cabinet in October 2023 to allow continuity of services.

The Cabinet Member was advised that this would be the last variation that could be taken forward on this contract to allow a maximum spend of £162M. The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services noted the following reasons for the increased spend on this contract:

·         Increased use of temporary staff in the Covid pandemic, including their provision at  mass testing centres

·         Job market challenges

·         Higher than expected annual pay increases

It was noted that the Council were currently spending an equivalent of £43,500,00 per annum and this contract variation was for £32,504,910. The report stated that the  current contract could no longer be varied according to procurement rules.

In considering the recommendations and noting the need for contract spend to be further reduced, the Cabinet Member was assured by the following information provided at the meeting:

·         The ongoing dedication and diligence being demonstrated by Senior Officers to monitor and reduce agency spend.

·         That use of agency staff required the approval of Directors and was considered by a Corporate Recruitment Panel.

·         The ongoing quarterly meeting with directors to scrutinise agency spend and facilitate ongoing reductions in temporary agency staff spend.

·         The longer term view of managing and reducing temporary agency staff spend being taken with the consideration of the Workforce Strategy at Cabinet on the 16^th of July 2024.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services,

RESOLVED

1.    That, in accordance with the Council’s Contract Standing Order (CSO) 10.02.1 (b) to approve the variation to increase the value of the Matrix contract; and

2.    To approve an increase of up to £32,504,910 for the duration of the contract. This increase was to ensure that the Council can continue to provide short term agency / interim workers and support the permanent agency supply chain where required.

3.    To note that the contract duration is four years, from 26 July 2021 to 18 July 2025.

Reasons for decision

The initial contract value of £108,000,000 agreed by Cabinet on 20 November 2020 and a 1^st variation for £1,495,090 for the provision of the permanent recruitment supply agreed in 2021 was estimated based on the previous three years. A further variation for £20,000,000 was agreed by Cabinet in October 2023, making the total current contract value £129,495,090.

The original estimate could not have accounted for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

As per item 3.

None

Item 9 is likely to be subject to a motion to exclude the press and public be from the meeting as it contains exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1985); paras 3 and 5, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

Not required

As per item 3.

None