Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Dowd.

Members are requested at a meeting where a disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest arises, which is not already included in their Register of Members' Interests, todeclare any interests that relate to an item on the agenda.

Where a Member discloses a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, he/she must withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest, except where he/she is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of a dispensation.

Where a Member discloses a personal interest he/she must seek advice from the Monitoring Officer or staff member representing the Monitoring Officer to determine whether the Member should withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest or whether the Member can remain in the meeting or remain in the meeting and vote on the relevant decision.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interest were made however in accordance with Paragraph 9 of the Council’s Code of Conduct, the following declaration of personal interest was made and the Member concerned remained in the room during the consideration of the item and voted thereon:

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2019 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of Head of Corporate Resources

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Corporate Resources that recommended a Pay Policy for the Council as required by the Localism Act 2011. After consideration of the report by the Committee, the report would be considered by the full Council at the meeting to be held on 23 January 2020.

The Chief Personnel Officer drew members attention to paragraph 54 of the report which clarified arrangements surrounding any individual who had left the Council and been in receipt of a severance or redundancy payment and/or pension (LGPS or otherwise) being subsequently  re-employed or engaged under a contract for services.

If any re-employment did occur this would be subject to satisfying a robust justification and business case  including specific details why the re-employment would be beneficial to the Council or service area.  The business case should also consider the circumstances of the individual who had left employment recognising that individuals in low pay jobs may be more readily re-employed.

The proposed clarification had been discussed with the Trades’ Unions who had indicated that they recognised the principle and felt that any individual who had been the subject of compulsory redundancy should be recognised in this process. The Chief Personnel Officer confirmed that when applying the guidelines in Paragraph 54 that it was recognised that those employees who were made compulsorily redundant had particular circumstances which would be taken into account in the application of any consideration under Paragraph 54. This was something which trade unions had raised.

Outstanding actions following government consultation in respect of public sector exit payments and re-employment in the public sector are still to be decided by Central Government.  These have matters ongoing for sometime and since 2018 Full Council had delegated any necessary amendment in respect of this to the Pay and Grading Committee.

RESOLVED:

That the Council be recommended to approve the proposed Pay Policy as detailed within Annexe A of the report noting the position in respect  the interpretation of Paragraph 54 and  the ongoing continuing delegation to the Pay and Grading Committee in respect of any amendment that arises from Government in respect of earlier consultation.