Agenda and minutes

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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 meeting was not filmed or recorded.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Bull.  Councillor Chandwani was in attendance as substitute.

Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Berryman.

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 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 16 December 2019.

To follow

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2020 be approved as a correct record.

The Chair informed the Committee that the Trans Equality Policy would likely be considered at the June meeting.

The report is for the Committee to approve the updated Haringey Schools Model Pay policy for September 2019 and recommend its adoption to Haringey maintained Schools.

Julie Amory, HR Business Partner, introduced the report as set out.  The report would usually be presented to the S&R Committee earlier in the Municipal year, however a delay in the Department for Education issuing the updated pay award for teachers had resulted in a knock-on effect on the Authority’s ability to update pay scales.  The Schools Consultative Forum had ratified the updated pay award in October, and the pay increase had been backdated to 1 September 2019.  No issues had been raised by unions in relation to the delay.  The policy was provided to the S&R Committee for noting only. 

Ms Amory responded to questions from the Committee:

-           The highlighted sections on the reports were areas that schools could make amendments.

-           The Committee had no powers to reject the policy.  The Schools Consultative Group had the powers to ratify and implement the policy.  It was prescribed in the Staffing & Remuneration Committee Terms of Reference that the Committee note the policy.

-           An ‘unqualified teacher’ was a teacher without a teaching qualification. 

-           Depending on the salary grade, automatic pay progression was not always applicable.  A pay review would need to be requested by the teacher, and two years of appraisals would be reviewed by the Headteacher.  A final decision would be made by an independent committee.

-           Academies were free to adopt the same pay policy, but could adopt different pay ranges if preferable.

RESOLVED that the updated Haringey Schools Model Pay Policy be approved for September 2019 and it be recommended for adoption to Haringey maintained schools.

The Council is required to produce an annual Pay Policy Statement to comply with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011. The Council approved its last Pay Policy Statement at Full Council on18^th March 2019.

The attached Pay Policy Statement provides an update for publication in April 2020.

Ian Morgan, Reward Strategy Manager, introduced the report as set out.  The adoption of a Pay Policy Statement was a statutory obligation under the Localism Act 2011.  The Committee were requested to remit the Pay Policy Statement for endorsement by Full Council.

Mr Morgan responded to questions from the Committee:

-           There was no obligation to provide information on the progress made by the Council in relation to maintaining the accreditation as a Living Wage employer.  An update was provided by the Chief Finance Officer in the covering report.  Staff were generally paid the London Living Wage, with two exceptions – Pendarren staff, who were paid in accordance with the Living Wage; and apprentices, where the pay rate was calculated partly on the National Minimum Wage.

The Chair requested that a report be provided to the Committee on the implementation of London Living Wage for staff.

RESOLVED that

i.          The draft Pay Policy Statement 2020/21, attached at Appendix A be approved;

ii.         The Director for Customer, Transformation and Resources be authorised to make minor amendments to the Pay Policy Statement, in consultation with the Chair; and

iii.       The Pay Policy Statement be referred for endorsement by Full Council on 16 March 2020.

The purpose of this report is to provide the committee with recommendations for adopting the Employee References Policy (Appendix 1) and Employee References Practice Notes (Appendix 2).   

Ian Morgan, Reward Strategy Manager, introduced the report as set out.  The aim was to ensure references provided were of a common standard.  Information relating to employment would be provided by HR.  Character references could be provided by staff, however this would be a personal reference and could not be provided on the Council’s headed paper or via a Council email address.  The policy did not provide this level of detail, however, this would be addressed in the practice notes.

Members questioned whether the policy covered agency staff.  Whilst it was noted that the Council was not legally obligated to provide a reference for agency staff, it was requested by the Committee that officers explore whether agency staff could be covered by this policy, or a separate policy be created to cover agency staff.  The Committee were advised that as agency staff were employed via an agency, any references would be provided by the agency, but that this could be looked into further.

Mr Morgan responded to questions from the Committee:

-           Councillors could only provide a personal reference.

-           It was not included in staff terms and conditions that a reference would be provided as it was not usual practice to do so, however all HR policies would constitute the bundle which formed a contract of employment so this policy would apply by that virtue.

-           HR would provide a factual reference and would not refuse a request from any member of staff to provide this.

-           The Trade Unions had been consulted on the policy (as with all policy development) and supported the implementation of it.

The Committee decided not to adopt the policy at the present time and requested that officers explore the options of including agency workers within this policy, or creating a separate policy.

As part of the Council’s requirement to conduct a rolling review of all HR policies, Members are asked to consider the revised Flexible Working Policy (attached as Appendix 1) and Practice Notes (attached as Appendix 2).    

Ian Morgan, Reward Strategy Manager, introduced the report as set out.  This was a review of the current policy.

Officers responded to questions from the Committee:

-           Working from home was not enforced for staff, as there were some people who were not able to work from home for a number of reasons.

-           Sabbaticals were listed as a flexible working scheme but not yet included in the policy – further work would be carried out with the Trade Unions to develop this scheme.

The Committee requested that sabbaticals be removed from the policy, and a separate proposal be provided to the Committee once the Trade Unions had been consulted.

RESOLVED that

i.          The new Flexible Working Policy and Practice Notes (with the removal of sabbaticals) be approved for implementation with effect from February 2020; and

ii.         The Director for Customer, Transformation and Resources be authorised to make minor amendments to the Pay Policy Statement in consultation with the Chair.

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

None.

3 March 2020 (new)

3 March 2020 (new date)