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 Members present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting, and Members noted the information contained therein.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Brabazon.

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 below. New items of exempt Urgent Business will be dealt with at agenda item 13 below).

None.

None.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, paragraph 29 of the Council’s constitution.

None.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2018.

To approve the minutes of the Special Staffing and Remuneration Committee held on 28 September 2018.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings held on 28 September 2018 and 1 October 2018 be approved as a correct record.

The purpose of this paper is to review the current recruitment and retention strategies for qualified Social Workers within Children’s Services.  This report was requested by the Chair of Staffing & Remuneration Committee.

Brenda McMahon – HR Business Partner – introduced the report as set out.  The report provided an overview of the current recruitment and retention policies for social workers in Haringey Council.  The current position was that there would be an estimated overspend of £800k in 2019/20 (compared to £605k in 2015/16).  The challenges to the service were high agency spends - £440k per month, although this was reducing – and above average sickness levels.  The service were looking to implement a workforce plan, with key objectives, and there were monthly meetings with Hayes, who were on target in appointing two external appointments per month.

The following was provided in response to questions from the Committee:

-           Although work was being carried out to encourage agency workers to apply to permanent positions, some social workers would always prefer to stay as agency workers.

-           HR and the service had been working on attracting a younger market to the workplace, and were working on adding this information to the website.

-           The average salary was on par with other boroughs.  The areas with the highest turnovers and were difficult to recruit to were assessment and safeguarding.

-           In relation to whether the Council offered ‘on the job’ training (as social workers), this would have to be explored further.

-           Sickness was monitored on a monthly basis, and a breakdown provided by each team.  Areas with ‘amber’ or ‘red’ ratings were managed.

The Chair thanked Brenda for attending, and added that there were many good signs in the report, which indicated that the service was travelling in the right direction.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The current Corporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy is in need of review to reflect the latest changes in the Council’s structure and to ensure it remains fit for purpose. As part of this review, the policy establishes the framework to implement a Corporate Health and Safety Strategy.

This strategy defines and co-ordinates the Council’s approach to the management of health and safety. It sets the aim and objectives for managing health and safety in the council for the next 4 years. This includes how the council will set out to realise the strategy as well as how health and safety performance will be measured.

Andrew Meek – Head of Organisation Resilience – introduced the report as set out.  The report was an updated version of the Corporate Health & Safety and Wellbeing Policy, and a new Corporate Health and Safety Strategy 2018-22.  The Committee were requested to approve the policy and strategy. 

The following was provided in response to questions from the Committee:

-           A training programme would be rolled out to all staff in relation to Health and Safety.

-           Any health and safety issues in relation to Spurs building works would be the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive, and not the Council.

RESOLVED that

i.          The draft Corporate Health and Safety Strategy 2018-2022 (attached at Appendix A) be approved;

ii.         The Chief Executive be authorised, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, with the Corporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing Board, and with the Corporate Board, to make such amendments to the Strategy as s/he considers minor, such amendments to be reported to the meeting of the Committee next following such amendments being made;

iii.       The draft Corporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing Statement Policy (attached at Appendix B) be approved;

iv.       The Chief Executive be authorised, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, with the Corporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing Board, and with the Corporate Board, to make such amendments to the Policy as s/he considers minor, such amendments to be reported to the meeting of the Committee next following such amendments being made; and

v.         The Health Safety Annual Report for 2017-18 (attached at Appendix C), be noted.

As part of the Council’s requirement to conduct a rolling review of all HR policies, Members are asked to consider the revised Grievance Policy (attached as Appendix 1) and Practice Notes (attached as Appendix 2).  The policy is set out in the new format at the last meeting of the Committee on Monday, 1^st October 2018.  

Ian Morgan – Reward Strategy Manager – introduced the report as set out.  All HR policies were set to be reviewed over the coming months, and it was felt that the grievance policy should be reviewed first.  The policy was split into the policy itself and practice notes.

Members commented that it would be useful to have some indication on the policies whether the unions were in approval of the revisions, as this would send a good message to the workforce.  It was also suggested that where policies did not need revision, they should be re-issued with the current date.

RESOLVED that

i.          The new Grievance Policy and Practice Notes be approved ready for implementation with effect from 1 January 2019, and it be noted that a series of training sessions and workshops were planned for both HR staff and line managers during January to update them on the changes; and

ii.         The Assistant Director for Corporate Resources be delegated the power to make minor changes to the policy and practice notes without the need to refer back to the Committee.

The report is to inform the Committee of the process for agenda planning and to notify Members of the reports to be brought to Committee from January 2019 for the final three months of the municipal year.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Human Resources team have produced the Recruitment Practice Note (Senior Managers) as an adjunct to the main Recruitment Policy to ensure a better understanding of the obligations of Officers and Members in the recruitment process. The practice note aims to provide more consistency and better transparency to the key elements of the process so that everyone is clear of their role and responsibilities. 

The Chair advised that she had a number of comments on the practice note, and that she would send these via email.  Members felt that further work was required, and requested that this be brought back to the Committee at a later date.

The People Report is designed to give officers and members relevant workforce data in an easy to understand format in order to support informed strategic decision making.

Ian Morgan - Reward Strategy Manager – introduced the report as set out.  It had taken while to bed in ‘My Conversation’, but the latest figures showed that it was being implemented across the organisation. 

Members asked whether it was possible to have a breakdown of which areas were employing consultants, and were advised that although this used to be provided, the new GDPR legislation made it difficult to break down the information to that level in a public committee report.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To consider any new items of urgent business admitted by the Chair under agenda item 3 above.

None.

11 February 2019

11 February 2019

Item 16 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); paragraph 1, information relating to an individual.

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the discussion of item 16 as it contained exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1985); para 1 – information relating to an individual.

To approve the exempt minutes of the Special Staffing and Remuneration Committee held on 28 September 2018.

RESOLVED that the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2018 be approved as a correct record.