Issue - meetings

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

Further to Minute No. 34of the meeting of the Council held on 18 July 2019 the Panel considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer seeking the submission of views to Council on the approval of a Parental Leave Policy for elected Members.

The report advised that the Council, at its meeting held on Council on 18 July 2019 resolved:

·       to adopt a parental leave policy, as per the attached indicative policy, to give all councillors an entitlement to parental leave after giving birth or adopting but noting the implementation of a policy will be subject to the Independent Remuneration Panel considering the implications and reporting back to Council;

·       to ensure that councillors with children and other caring commitments are supported as appropriate; and

·       to notify the LGA (Local Government Association) that this Council has passed a motion at Full Council to adopt a parental leave policy;

provided information on the delay in the submission of the report to the Panel; that the LGA had advised that they had been notified that over 80 local authorities had adopted parental leave policies but that they anticipated that more Councils would have adopted the policy but that they had not yet notified the LGA; and advised that on 21 March 2024, Simon Hoare MP, Minister for Local Government, had written to all leaders of local authorities in England regarding accommodating councillors with need of maternity, paternity or neonatal care leave.

The Minister’s letter to all local authority leaders had generated correspondence between himself and Councillor Nesil Caliskan, Leader of the LGA Labour Group. Councillor Caliskan sought clarification on a number of issues and these were highlighted, together with the Minister’s responses, in the report. Copies of the correspondence, together with the Parental Leave Policy, were attached as appendices to the report. 

Members of the Panel asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       the wording of paragraph 1.4 of the proposed policy and whether there was a typographical error within the paragraph

·       how and who would determine the “exceptional circumstances” referred to in various paragraphs of the proposed policy 

The report concluded by seeking the views of the Panel on the adoption of Parental Leave policy for submission to Council.

RESOLVED: That Council be recommended to: