Agenda and minutes

At this point in the meeting, Members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest or other registerable interest they might have in respect of business on this agenda, if they have not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests.

At this point in the meeting, Members were asked to declare if

they had any personal interests not included on the Register of

Interests or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests

that they might have had in the business on the agenda. None were declared.

To consider the exclusion of the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following:

Annex A to Agenda Item 8 on the grounds that they contain information relating to individuals and the financial affairs of particular persons. This information is classed as exempt under paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as revised by The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).

Resolved: That the press and public be excluded from the

meeting during the consideration of annex A to Agenda Item 8 on the grounds that they contained information relating to individuals and the financial affairs of particular persons. This information is classed as exempt under Paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as revised by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee held on 20 February 2023.

Resolved: That the minutes of the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee held on 20 February 2023 be approved and then signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. Members of the public may speak on agenda items or on matters within the remit of the Committee.

Please note that our registration deadlines are set as 2 working days before the meeting, in order to facilitate the management of public participation at our meetings. The deadline for registering at this meeting is 5:00pm on Thursday, 16 March 2023.

To register to speak please visit www.york.gov.uk/AttendCouncilMeetings to fill in an online registration form. If you have any questions about the registration form or the meeting, please contact Democratic Services. Contact details can be found at the foot of this agenda.

Webcasting of Public Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be webcast including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The meeting can be viewed live and on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

During coronavirus, we made some changes to how we ran council meetings, including facilitating remote participation by public speakers. See our updates (www.york.gov.uk/COVIDDemocracy) for more information on meetings and decisions.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at

the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

At the Annual Council meeting on 26 May 2022, appointments were made to Committees, Sub-Committees and Outside Bodies for the 2022/23 municipal year. A further change is required to the membership, as set out below.

The Committee considered and confirmed the change of Membership for the SACRE Committee to appoint Joseph Hepplestone to replace Kirsty Wordsworth as a committee B  member representing The Church of England Group.

Resolved:

                      i.         Approved Joseph Hepplestone replacing Kirsty Wordsworth as a committee B member representing The Church of England Group on the SACRE Committee.

Reason:     In order to make appropriate Council appointments to

Committees and Outside Bodies for the remainder of the current municipal year.

This report provides the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee (SMUC) with the workforce profile, estimated for quarter 4 year-end with information available at report writing.

It was confirmed that the report into the Council’s work force profile was a estimate at this time as some information was still being collated but there was not much variation expected by Officers. It was noted that the Council’s FTE had risen slightly this was assigned to agency staff being hired full time. Resignation was noted as the highest reason for staff leaving the Council. It was confirmed that staff sickness had risen slightly with Covid-19 still being a factor in staff absence.

The Committee enquired about the employment of BME individuals and those with disabilities as the statics showed that the Council employed less people from these demographics than were living in York. Officers noted that changes to the workforce profile could take time and that the statistics had been moving in a more representative direction. It was also confirmed that the Council was using more advertising of recruitment fares to encourage applications.

Resolved:

                      i.         Noted the workforce profile provided;

Reason:     In order to provide an overview of the workforce profile.

This report is for information and advises the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee of retention payments approved and processed for payment.

The Committee were informed that there had been two Retention Payments issued since the last update to the Committee. It was confirmed that these were used to alleviate recruitment issues and to be able to continue to deliver specific services.

Resolved:

                      i.         Noted the number of retention payments made in the last quarter.

Reason:     In order to provide an overview of the number of payments made.

This report advises Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee of the expenditure and council activity on settlement agreements and the inclusion of a non-disclosure clause in accordance with council policy.

Members considered a report which advised them of expenditure

associated with a Settlement Agreement and Non-Disclosure Clause relating to the end of an employment relationship which decision had been made by the Chief Operating Officer or Officers nominated by him.

Resolved:

                      i.         Noted the expenditure associated with the proposed ending of an employment contract on agreed terms by a settlement agreement detailed in the annexes.

Reason:     In order to provide an overview of the expenditure.

Note: the above item was considered in private session, in accordance with the decision in Minute 38.