Agenda and draft minutes

Dr Sullivan declared her Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, as her husband is employed by the County Council in the Early Help and Prevention Team.  She stated that she would be withdrawing from the meeting for the item on Local Pay Bargaining.

The Committee noted that Mrs Bell was no longer a Member of the Committee and that Mr Hotson had resigned as Vice-Chairman of the Committee.

Mr Oakford proposed and Mr Gough seconded that Mrs Prendergast be elected Vice-Chairman of the Committee.  There being no other nominations this was agreed without a formal vote.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2019 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(1)          Mr Royel referred to the legal requirement for the County Council to publish an annual Gender Pay Gap Report (GPGR). This report had been published for the first time in March 2018 based on data from March 2017.  The report provided the third annual GPGR report, based on data from March 2019.  Circulated with the report was the proposed GPGR statement for consideration and endorsement prior to publication.

(2)          Mr Royel circulated comparable data with other local authorities which indicated that KCC was in the middle range of the table. 

(3)          Mr Royel and Mrs Beer replied to questions of detail which included the following:

(a)  Mr Royel stated that it was difficult to compare data on bonuses as there was an inconsistency in interpretation between local authorities.  KCC’s interpretation was that this included any payment made during the year except Total Contribution Pay.  He confirmed that it did not include contractual payments such as market premiums.

(b)  Mr Royel undertook to include comparative data as part of future reports and to add Medway to the comparators

(c)  It was noted that KCC’s workforce gender breakdown was 77% women and 23% men.  Despite the fact that women make up the majority of the highest quartile, given the way in which the gap was calculated the under-representation of male employees of just 19% in the lowest quartile, had a significant effect.

(4)          RESOLVED that the proposed Gender Pay Gap Report statement be endorsed for publication.

(Ms Trollope, Head of Engagement & Consultation, and Ms Tinsley, Performance and Analytics Manager were present for this item.)

(Mr Burden was invited to participate in the discussion on this item but took no part in the decision making.)

(1)          Ms Trollope introduced a report which set out the headline results from the 2019 staff survey and the next steps for distribution and action-planning.

(2)          Ms Trollope, Ms Tinsley and Mrs Beer answered questions and noted comments from Members which included the following:

(a)   Ms Trollope confirmed the ways in which the results of the survey were shared with staff and managers, including use of the intranet.

(b)  Mrs Beer explained that the overall outcome of the staff survey was reported to this Committee.  She assured Members that action plans to respond to the survey were considered at Departmental Management level and outcomes delivered via officer performance management tools.

(c)  Members commended Ms Trollope and her team on achieving a 52% return for the survey and the amount of work carried out to develop this years survey. 

(d)  In relation to a request to report to the Committee on progress with actioning the outcomes from the survey, Mrs Beer stated that this could be included in reports to the Committee on the Peoples Strategy.  This would include how parts of the Strategy linked to the staff survey.

(e)  It was suggested that a question(s) should be included in next year’s survey seeking feedback from staff on their interaction with Elected Members to gauge whether they felt that this interaction was a positive and respected experience, and to test staffs knowledge of the role of Members.  It was clarified that staff who did not have contact with Members should be able to state that when responding to the question(s).

(f)   Ms Tinsley answered detailed technical questions in relation to the analysis of the data and the survey methodology.

(g)  The importance of support for staff with disabilities and encouraging them to come forward so that appropriate adaptations could be made for them was emphasised.  Mrs Beer undertook to provide a brief for Members on the work carried out to support staff who had a disability and to ensure that they felt able to seek support from managers.

(3)          RESOLVED that the outcomes of the staff survey, the areas of focus for development of the 2019/20 corporate action plan. and the comments by the Committee be noted.

RESOLVED that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

EXEMPT ITEMS

RESOLVED that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

EXEMPT ITEMS

(Open minutes)

(Mr Dunkley, Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education was present for this item)

(Mr Burden was invited to participate in the discussion on this item but took no part in the decision making.)

(During consideration of this Item the Chairman had to leave the meeting and Mrs Prendergast, the Vice-Chairman assumed the Chair for the remainder of the meeting)

(1)         Mrs Beer and Mr Dunkley introduced a report which set out proposals to delete the post of Director Education, Planning and Access and create two new Director posts in the Children, Young People and Education Directorate.  Endorsement of the proposal was sought from the Committee prior to a recommendation to the full County Council

(2)         RESOLVED that County Council be requested to agree a revised structure as set out in (a) and (b) below

(a)   delete the post of Director Education Planning and Access in the Children Young People and Education Directorate.

(b)   introduce a new Director – Education role and a new Director –Disabilities and Special Educational Needs role as described in Appendix 3 to the report

(c)  Subject to agreement to the above, that the recruitment process for new roles begin immediately but that no appointment be made prior to the full County Council agreeing the revised structure.

(Dr Sullivan ask that her vote against this proposal be recorded in accordance with section 16.31 of the Constitution)

(Mr Shipton, Head of Finance (Policy, Planning & Strategy) and Mr Pleace, Revenue and Tax Strategy Manager, were present for this item.)

(Mr Burden was invited to participate in the discussion on this item but took no part in the decision making.)

(1)          Mr Royel introduced a paper which provided a summary of the position from this year’s Local Pay Bargaining process. 

(2)          Mr Royel, Mrs Beer, Mr Shipton and Mr Pleace answered questions of clarification from Members. 

(3)          The Committee discussed the request to increase annual leave for staff on KR8 bringing them into the same leave category as KR9-12.  Mr Royel set out the background to this request.  Mr Shipton and Mr Pleace answered questions on the potential cost of this proposal.

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(4)          RESOLVED that the following be endorsed and recommended to the County Council for approval:

(a)  A single pot of just over 4% for 2020/21to be used in accordance with the Total Contribution Pay process, subject to it being noted that the Committee were content to see Annual Leave for KR 8 increased as long as this could be achieved within the 4% pay pot and the estimated 3.6% as the award for the “successful” pay rate being achieved.

 . (b) In recognition of the continued desire to pay the equivalent of the Living Wage an increase to the entry value of the lowest grade to £9.35 per hour which will maintain our position above the national minimum and marginally above the Living Wage for April 2020.  This will ensure that staff in this pay range receive a higher increase (3.9%) than the estimated 3.6% “successful” award and avoids splitting performance awards for these staff between annual salary and non-consolidated lump sum

(c)The Cabinet Member for Communications, Engagement and People be delegated authority to agree the final award values of the Total Contribution pay process

(In accordance with her declared interest Dr Sullivan withdrew from the meeting and therefore took no part in the discussion and decision making on this item)