Agenda item

The Committee received a report which sought approval for the draft Corporate Health and Safety Strategy 2018-2022, as well as the draft Corporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing Statement Policy. The Committee were also asked to note the Health and Safety Annual Report 2017-18, which was included in the report at Appendix C. The report was introduced by Andrew Meek, the Head of Organisational Resilience and was included in the published agenda pack at pages 9-56.

The following was noted in discussion of the report:

a.    In response to a request for clarification, the Committee was advised that it was responsible for Health and Safety in relation to people who were not Council employees who used Council premises as a place of work, such as agency workers or who are otherwise affected by the Council’s activities, such as service users. Staffing and Remuneration Committee was responsible for Health and Safety in relation to Council employees.

b.    The Committee raised concerns that the definition above, as set out in paragraph 4.4 or the report, seemed to be limited to full/part time employees and suggested that it should be broadened to include temporary workers. The Head of Organisational Resilience agreed to amend this. (Action: Andrew Meek).

c.    In response to a query around performance indicators that related to members of the public, officers advised that this was captured by Indicator 4: The number of ‘major’ and ‘7 day’ accidents. The Head of Organisational Resilience agreed to look at rewording the indicator to make the fact that it related to members of the public clearer. (Action: Andrew Meek).

d.    In response to a concern about staffing levels within the Health and Safety Team officers advised that, after a delay, a team manager had been recruited and was in post. Similarly, two Health and Safety Advisor posts were being recruited so that the service would have a full complement of staff. The Committee was assured that these would be full-time permanent Council employees.

e.    The Committee sought reassurance about why the monthly Property Compliance Board meetings were discontinued. In response, officers advised that the Board would be re-established with a different format as there were problems with the previous iteration in relation to receiving like for like advice for different property types.

f.     The Head of Organisational Resilience agreed to come back to the Committee with further information in relation to the three maintained schools that scored as ‘poor’ on the Health and Safety questionnaire and the extent to which this was due to incorrectly filling in the form. (Action: Andrew Meek).

g.    The Committee raised concerns with a number of areas of building compliance set out in the Annual Report and commented that there did not seem to be details of corrective action or risk profile. In response, officers acknowledged these concerns and advised that areas of non-compliance were being addressed with Amey. The Head of Organisational Risk agreed to liaise with the Chair and agree a suitable timeframe in which to report back to the Committee.  (Action: Andrew Meek).

RESOLVED

I.       That the Committee approved the draft Corporate Health and Safety Strategy 2018- 2022, attached at Appendix A of the report.

II.       That the Chief Executive is 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.       That the Committee approved the draft Corporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing Statement Policy, attached at Appendix B of the report.

IV.       That the Chief Executive is 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. 

V.       That the Committee notes the Health Safety Annual Report for 2017-2018, attached at Appendix C of the report.