Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 May 2010 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

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

(1)       This report drew the Committee’s attention to recent changes to employment policy, presented a recommendation for a change to probation policy and highlighted areas for further potential change affecting terms and conditions.

(2)       Mr Simmonds said and it was agreed that sick pay should be included as part of the review of terms and conditions

(3)       Following discussion Mr R W Gough proposed and Mr A J King seconded that the recommendations set out in the report as far as the Electronic Communications User Policy was concerned be approved. Carried (5:2) It was further agreed that there would be a further report on the operation of the Policy in 12 Months time

(4)       Resolved that subject to the approval of the Electronic Communications User Policy, a further report on the other matters covered in the Committee report, and to include sick pay, be submitted once the consultations with the Unions had been concluded and their views known.

- report by Mr Roger Gough, Cabinet Member for Corporate Support and Performance Management and Mrs Amanda Beer Director of Personnel & Development) (Mr Nigel Fairburn, Workforce Development Manager was present for this item)

(1)       This report presented some proposals for achieving a more radical shift in the approach to deployment allowing more flexibility for employees to move role within KCC. To be effective across the whole organisation KCC needed to develop a strategic approach to deployment, informed by intelligence about its workforce and through collaboration.

(2)     During the course of discussion Mr K G Lynes proposed and Mr A J King seconded  that employment contracts needed to be more generic and the unions consulted on how that could be implemented with a report back to the Committee. Carried  (6:1)

(3)     Resolved that ways to make employment contracts more generic should be consulted on with the unions and a further report submitted to the Committee.

- report by Mr Roger Gough, Cabinet Member for Corporate Support and Performance Management and Mrs Amanda Beer Director of Personnel & Development ( Mr Colin Miller, Reward Manager was present for this item)

Following discussion on this matter, the Committee asked for further information to be provided and reported to the Corporate Policy and Overview Scrutiny Committee with a further report being submitted to the Personnel Committee on the impact of these proposals.

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

(1)       This report provided a brief overview of KCC's proposed Employee Engagement strategy, 'Motiv8' and the rationale for taking such an approach. In doing so, the aim was to transform employee engagement from a reactive to a proactive activity that significantly contributed to organisational development and performance improvement. In adopting this more strategic approach to Employee Engagement, it was anticipated that rather than being a one-off bi-annual process, employee engagement would become a continual focal point for the organisation, significantly contributing to organisational development and improvement.

(2)     Resolved that the proposed strategy and accompanying action plan be approved and agreement be given to its implementation.

report by Mr Roger Gough, Cabinet Member for Corporate Support and Performance Management and Mrs Amanda Beer, Director of Personnel & Development) (Mr Colin Miller, Reward Manager was present for this item)

(1)     From 1 April 2010 all Kent Scheme Staff were transferred to new Pay ranges and a revised performance appraisal scheme was introduced. This report provided an update on the project including staff communication, trade union consultation, manager training and associated system changes.

(2)     In response to a question from Mr Prater, Mrs Beer said that whilst further information could be provided in future reports around the number of staff at the top of their grades it would not be possible to give a like for like comparison on information related to historic pay progression.

(3)     Resolved that the progress made on the implementation of the revised Kent Scheme reward structure and the communication, training and support given to managers and staff to support this change be noted

Mrs Beer said as the County Council was undertaking a review of its senior management structure which would include changes to job descriptions and titles, this report had been withdrawn until that work had been completed.

As the Council would be undergoing a period of structural change over the coming months the Committee agreed that it should meet more frequently during that period and therefore arrangements would be put in hand to plan additional meetings accordingly