Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meetings held on 11 September and 22 December 2008 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

2009-2010

 – Report by Personnel and Development

(1)       This report outlined the process undertaken and the current stage of the Local Pay Bargaining Agreement.

(2)       During the course of discussion, Members of the Committee discussed a number of points of detail around the pay award level, the submission made by the Trades Unions and the proposed response as detailed in the Committee report. 

(3)       Following detailed discussion, the Committee agreed on a vote of 5 for with 3 against, that the Cabinet and the County Council should be advised that the Committee endorses a 1% pay award as the settlement for 2008/09 and that Carer Leave should become a substantive provision within the Council’s Terms and Conditions.

(4)       Mr A J King proposed and Mr N J Chard seconded that on the issue of the County Council covering the payment of fees for staff required to register as part of the regulations relating to the forthcoming Independent Safe Guarding Authority, and in respect of the proposal to remove Kent Scheme Grade 1, the Director of Personnel and Development be authorised, in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee and the Cabinet Member for Corporate Support and External Affairs to continue negotiations with Trades Unions on these matters in order that any agreement that has been reached by then can be reported to the meeting of the County Council on19 February 2009.

(5)       RESOLVED that:

(a)       the County Council at its meeting on 19 February 2009 be advised that the Personnel Committee endorses a 1% pay award as the settlement for 2008/09;

(b)       Carer leave should become a substantive provision within the   Council’s Terms and Conditions; and

(c)        the Director of Personnel and Development be authorised in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee and the Cabinet Member for Policy and Performance, to continue negotiations with the Trades Unions on the issue of the County Council covering the payment of fees of staff required to register as part of the regulations relating to the forthcoming Independence Safeguarding Authority and in respect of the proposal to remove the Kent Scheme Grade 1 and to report the outcome, terms of any agreement that has been reached by then, to the meeting of the County Council on 19 February 2009.

 – Report by Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development)

(Nicola Lodemore, Employment Policy Manager was present for this item)

(1)       The Health, Wellbeing and Attendance Action Plan 2006-2010 was developed with the aim of improving attendance through better process, entitlements, interventions and communication.  This report provided a summary of achievement to date and planned activity. 

(2)       RESOLVED the work underway to address health, wellbeing and attendance be endorsed.

– Report by Mr Alex King, Cabinet Member for Corporate Support and External Affairs and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development

(Elaine Mason, Wellbeing and Performance Manager was present for this item)

(1)       This report provided the Committee with an update on the Work and Wellbeing Framework, the fit4health programme 06-08; plans for 2009/2010 to maintain and improve the health and wellbeing of KCC staff and, Staff Health Check update. 

(2)       Following discussion the Committee endorsed the contents of the report. 

– Report by Mr Paul Carter, Leader of the Council and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development.

(Mr Nigel Fairburn, Workforce Strategy Manager was present for this item)

(1)       This report provided the Committee with an update on the County Council’s plans to build on the successes so far of employing a younger workforce.  The report set out some of the key highlights of what has been achieved so far and also detailed the targets which have been set for 2009/10.

(2)       RESOLVED that:

(a)       the progress and success so far in employing young people through a range of approaches, future developments and national recognition as detailed in the report, be noted;

(b)       agreement be given to the increase in pay for apprentices to £105.00 per week with effect from 1 January 2009; and

(c)        a progress report be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee to include a briefing on the work being undertaken to employ apprentices at Sittingbourne Community College and what possibilities there may be for rolling this scheme out to other schools and what role Special Schools could have within the apprenticeship scheme.  The Committee also said they would like to have some information around the distances which apprentices have to travel from their homes to their allocated workplace. 

– Report by Mr Alex King, Deputy Leader of the Council and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development.

(1)       This report confirmed the arrangements which are currently in place for Member-led appointments to senior officer posts. 

(2)       RESOLVED that current arrangements for these appointments be noted and that the report be brought to the attention of the Chief Officer Group.

 – Report by Mr Alex King, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Corporate Support and External Affairs and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development

(1)       This report detailed the use of Interim Managers, agency staff and consultants used by the County Council to 30 September 2008.

(2)       RESOLVED that the usage of agency staff, interim managers and consultants in KCC to 30 September 2008 be noted.

 – Report by Mr Alex King, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Corporate Support and External Affairs and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development

RESOLVED that the Director of Personnel and Development be asked to submit a report to the Committee’s next meeting giving monitoring of staff information and other annual updates on the matters detailed in paragraphs 2 and 3 of the report.