Agenda and minutes

The minute of the meeting held on 29 November 2012 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman subject to the inclusion of Mr Gough in the list of those present.

RESOLVED: that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 A of the Act.

(Report by Mr Roger Gough – Cabinet Member for Business Strategy, Performance and Health Reform and Mrs Amanda Beer- Corporate Director for Human Resources.  Mr Colin Miller was present for this item)

(1)     Mr Miller introduced the report which made proposals to further modernise KCC’s approach to terms and conditions in a way that seeks to standardise, rationalise, give flexibility to meet service needs and deliver the required savings. 

(2)     Since the last meeting of the Personnel Committee key managers had been consulted to gain views about the changes that could be made and the savings achieved.  The focus had been on areas of likely immediate savings although this needed to be viewed in the context of a long term approach of continually reviewing and adapting the total reward provision. 

(3)     Mr Miller also outlined: changes proposed to arrangements for weekend, out of hours and overtime; a review of market premia criteria; a review of allowances (for stand-by, call out, sleep-ins and other unsocial hours) in line with changes to weekend, out of hours and overtime arrangements; changes to disturbance allowance and loss of earnings for new recipients.  He also said it was proposed to rationalise leave arrangements in the medium term and that detailed proposals would be returned to a meeting of the Personnel Committee if the principle of a review were agreed.

(4)     During the discussion Mr King proposed and Mr Pugh seconded a motion that the recommendation set out in paragraphs 8.1(i) and 8.1(ii) be amended to read “18 months”.

Carried: For 5, Against 1 and Abstentions 1) 

(5)     In accordance with paragraph 2.26 (3) of the Council’s constitution Mr Prater asked that it be recorded that he voted against the motion

(6)     In response to a question Mr Miller said that reducing the disturbance allowance and loss of earnings to 18 months might result in more people taking redundancy resulting in additional cost to the Council. 

(7)     Mrs Beer confirmed that from a legal perspective notice could be given to staff to change terms and conditions, that with significant justifiable reasons mangers would be able to pay above or below the standardised rate and, to date, no requests for compensation had been received.

(8)     Resolved:

(a)   To recommend to the County Council the approach of rationalising enhancements and overtime rates to a standard provision of a one third increase which can be altered based on service delivery and business need (applies to staff currently receiving overtime and staff who will receive it in the future) and to include options for one off compensation for existing staff affected by the proposals.

(b)   To agree:

(i)       A reduction in the disturbance allowance to 18 months (applies to new recipients only)

(ii)      A reduction in loss of earnings compensation to 18 months to new recipients only)

(iii)       Use of the market premium payments in ICT (applies to staff currently receiving it. 

(c)   To acknowledge the further work required as regards annual leave provisions and endorse  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

(Report by Mr Roger Gough – Cabinet Member for Business Strategy, Performance and Health Reform and Mrs Amanda Beer – Corporate Director of Human Resources.  Mr Royel – Head of Employment Strategy was present for this item)

(1)     Mr Royel introduced the report which provided a summary of the position for this year’s Local Bargaining process and sought the endorsement of the proposed increase before a decision by the full council.

(2)     Following a discussion about the living wage and the minimum wage it was proposed by Mr Prater and seconded by Mr Gough that a further report be presented to a future meeting of the Personnel Committee outlining the implications of the living wage for Kent County Council.

Carried

(3)     RESOLVED:

(a)   To endorse and recommend to the County Council a pay award of 1% for 2013/14

(b)   To consider a further report at a future meeting of the Personnel Committee outlining the implications of the living wage for Kent County Council.