Agenda and minutes

(1) The minutes of the meeting held on 27 January 2010 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

(2) Mrs Dean referred to paragraph 10 of the minutes of the last meeting

(Performance Management of Senior Managers) and it was agreed that there would be a report on the reward element of the appraisal process for Chief Officers to the September meeting of the Committee.

 – report by Mr Rob Semens, Directorate Personnel Manager for Children, Families and Children Directorate))

(1)       A report to the County Council at its meeting June 2009 set out broad proposals for change, and a specific proposal for a new CFE Senior Management Team, was agreed. The process for the wider re-structure of the CFE Directorate, is now underway with formal consultation having commenced on 23 February 2010 with the aim of having the new staffing structure in place by 1 September 2010. Changing staffing structures is only the starting point in the transformation of services, and the CFE Change Programme includes a number of other actions and strategies as identified in the report.

(2)       During the course of discussion members of the Committee raised some points of detail to which Mr Semens responded accordingly.

(3)     Resolved that the purpose and impact of the proposed CFE re-structure, the challenges presented and the HR strategies to address these be noted together with the re-structure process and the important change programme beyond.

 - report by Mr Roger Gough, Cabinet Member for Corporate Support Services and Performance Management and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development)

Resolved that the report be noted and that this information will in future be included in the Annual Profile Report. 

-report by Mr Roger Gough Cabinet Member for Corporate Support Services and Performance Management and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development)

(1)     This report updated the Committee of staffing levels as at 31 March 2010.  The report included comparative staffing information from previous years together with information on the demographics and diversity of the County Council’s current workforce.

(2)     During the course of discussion members asked for future reports to present information in such a way so as to enable year on year comparisons  to be made more easily and to show trends on a directorate by directorate basis.

(2)       Resolved that the contents of the report be noted and that future reports are to include information with year on year figures and directorate by directorate.

report by Mr Roger Gough Cabinet Member for Corporate Support Services and Performance Management and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development) (Nicola Lodemore was present for this item) 

(1)     This report outlined changes to the existing Career Break Scheme which forms part of the Council’s Total Reward Package. The report recommended some changes which would further enhance the Scheme thus enabling the Council to offer better recruitment and retention offers, particularly to younger employees.

(2)     Resolved:

(i) that agreement be given to the redesign of ‘The Time Out’  scheme, as outlined in the report;

(ii) the reduction in time permitted from up to 5 years to up to 1 year endorsed;

(iii)  the basis of return be guaranteed so long as the employee returns on the agreed date; 

(iv)  that the terms of existing career break agreements will be honoured; and ,

(v) A further review of the Scheme is to be undertaken in 12 months time

report by Mr Roger Gough Cabinet Member for Corporate Support Services and Performance Management and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development)

(1)     The County Council has a policy whereby there is a discretion over the level of payments made in areas where there is a particular difficulty in both attracting and retaining staff. This report provided an update on how the policy had operated over the past financial year.

(2)     Resolved that the report be noted and the continuation of the scheme be endorsed

– report by Mr Roger Gough Cabinet Member for Corporate Support Services and Performance Management and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development)

(1)     This report informed the Committee of the County Council’s significant contribution to the Kent wide aspiration on the number of apprenticeships to be created. The report also made reference to the support provided to partners to employ apprentices.  During the course of discussion it was agreed future reports would contain information on the performance of those on the Scheme.

(2)       Resolved that the significant achievements of the Apprenticeship Scheme to date be noted, together with the proposals for the future.

-  report by Mr Roger Gough, Cabinet Member for Corporate Support Services and Performance Management and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development)

Resolved that the annual report on employee relations activity be noted and that of recent appeal hearings. 

The following are unrestricted minutes of matters which were exempt under paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972

–report by Mr Graham Gibbens – Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services and Mr Oliver Mills – Managing Director – KASS

(1)       The Committee had previously agreed to an appointment being made to the post of Transforming Social Care Lead Officer within the Kent Adult Social Services Directorate, on a time limited basis up to 20 September 2010. For the reasons set put in the report the Committee was asked to consider extending the contract to 31 March 2011.

(2)       Resolved that for the reasons set out in the report, the contract for the Transforming Social Care Lead Officer be extended to 31 March 2011 

– report by Mr Roger Gough, Cabinet Member for Corporate Support Services Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development)       

(1)       The Director of Commercial Services will be retiring with effect from30 July 2010.  As a review is to be conducted as to the most appropriate way to structure Commercial Services for the future, it is not possible at this time to determine the job description of the role which would be required.  The report therefore recommended that the current Business Systems Development Manager be appointed to the post of Interim Director of Commercial Services on terms and conditions detailed in the report until such time as the review had been completed and an appointment made to any senior level role required following the review.

(2)       Resolved that the interim arrangements for Commercial Services described in the report be agreed.

- report by Mr l Carter, Leader of Kent County Council and

Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel and Development)         

(1)       This report followed the decision of the Council to appoint Katherine Kerswell as Group Managing Director and provided details of the contractual arrangements for the appointment.

(2)       Resolved the Committee unanimously agreed to approve the contract of employment for Katherine Kerswell as detailed in the Committee report.