Issue - meetings

This report provides the Executive Member with an update on the current position of the City of York Council Health and Safety Service for information.

Resolved:

(i)            That  the progress of closer working between North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) and City of York Council (CYC) Health & Safety (H&S) Teams operating under a single Head of H&S be noted.

(ii)          That the secondment of five employees from the CYC H&S team to NYCC to ensure resilience and best use of resources be endorsed.

(iii)        That an interim report be received at a future Executive Member for Environment Decision Session.

Reason: To ensure the Executive Member and residents are informed of the CYC/NYCC approach to ensuring the H&S services are resilient and are better able to support the two organisations.

The Executive Member considered a report that provided him with an update on the current position of City of York Council's (CYC) Health and Safety (H&S) Service.

Officers gave an update and confirmed that to ensure resilience and best use of resources the current five staff members from the CYC H&S Team should be seconded to North Yorkshire County Council. This is to allow staff to operate as one team so resources and skills can be shared across both services.

The Executive Member noted that officers had reviewed the current arrangements and had considered the impact of the reduced spending power of each council.  He agreed that joint working would build a service resilience and capacity across both authorities to maintain an effective and professional H&S function.  

Officers confirmed they would keep the Executive Member updated and that an options paper and business case would be developed for Executive to consider. This future paper would seek to establish a formally constituted shared organisation with options around various service delivery models.

The Executive Member noted:

·               the benefits of working as a single organisation.

·               the secondment arrangement would be short term and would last no more than a year.

·               that there would be no risks to staff or their terms and conditions.

·                that both authorities would sign a Service Level Agreement. 

Resolved:

(i)            That the progress of closer working between North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) and City of York Council (CYC) Health & Safety (H&S) Teams operating under a single Head of H&S be noted.

(ii)          That the secondment of five employees from the CYC H&S team to NYCC to ensure resilience and best use of resources be endorsed.

(iii)        That an interim report be received at a future Executive Member for Environment Decision Session.

Reason:   To ensure the Executive Member and residents are informed of the CYC/NYCC approach to ensuring the H&S services are resilient and are better able to support the two organisations.