Issue - meetings

1.        This report provides the Executive Member for Finance & Performance with:

·        the Health & Safety (H&S) 2019/20 outturn and the 2020/21 mid-term report from the Head of Health & Safety;

·        an update on the action being taken to address the risks raised in the report;

·        key areas of work for 2021;

·        client overview of the performance of Health & Safety (H&S) shared service formed by North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) and City of York Council (CYC) which operates under a partnership agreement. 

Resolved:

a)    That the report covering the 18 month period including the council’s response to managing and responding to significant H&S risks including those relating to the pandemic ne noted;

b)    That the performance of the Shared H&S Service be noted;

c)     consider any areas of H&S risk management for further reporting at future decision sessions.

Reason:     To ensure the Executive Member and residents are assured that H&S services are appropriately managed and resilient and the council has proper arrangements in place for managing and responding to H&S risks.

The Executive Member considered a report that provided:

·        the Health & Safety (H&S) 2019/20 outturn and the 2020/21 mid-term report from the Head of Health & Safety;

·        an update on the action being taken to address the risks raised in the report;

·        key areas of work for 2021;

·        client overview of the performance of Health & Safety (H&S) shared service formed by North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) and City of York Council (CYC) which operates under a partnership agreement

The Assistant Director – Customer and Digital Services gave an update on the key areas of work and the Shared Head of Health and Safety outlined the CYC Annual Report 2019-20 which was included at Annex A of the report. He noted the impact of the pandemic, namely on schools as a result of changing guidance. He explained that health and safety themes remained regarding incident reporting, child aggression and physical and violence aggression. He noted the work to mitigate this and  added that it was expected that all staff should be treated with respect. Aside the pandemic he noted that the biggest issue was the Fire Safety Bill for which fire risk assessments had been undertaken and control measures had been amended.

In response to questions from the Executive Member he explained that:

·        It was thought that the increase in reporting child aggression was due to a willingness to report.

·        The decrease in physical and verbal aggression was due to officers not going out because of the pandemic.

·        With regard to officers health and safety working from home, the new Be Safe assessment had been rolled out. This allowed for early identification of chronic conditions. Additionally, the Joint Health and Safety Committee monitored the pandemic impacts, display screen assessments (DSEs). In terms of staff welling, this was through the results of the staff survey.

·        It was hard to quantify the return for investment from the cost recovery schemes for capital projects.

It was then:

Resolved:

a)    That the report covering the 18 month period including the council’s response to managing and responding to significant H&S risks including those relating to the pandemic ne noted;

b)    That the performance of the Shared H&S Service be noted;

c)     consider any areas of H&S risk management for further reporting at future decision sessions.

Reason:     To ensure the Executive Member and residents are assured that H&S services are appropriately managed and resilient and the council has proper arrangements in place for managing and responding to H&S risks.