Agenda and minutes

At this point in the meeting, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

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 annexes to agenda item 7 (Pension or Exit Discretion) 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 annexes to Agenda Items 7 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 5 June 2017.

Resolved: That the minutes of the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee held on 5 June 2017 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.  The deadline for registering is on Friday 30 June at 5.00pm. Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the remit of the committee.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast or audio recorded and that includes any registered public speakers, who have given their permission.  This broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts. or, if recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council website following the meeting.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (whose contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/file/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809

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

the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee is asked to approve a 12 month pilot for the payment of ‘golden hellos’ and ‘golden handcuffs’ to social workers in the Referral & Assessment team in Children’s Services.

Members considered a report that asked them to approve a 12

month pilot for the payment of ‘golden hellos’ and ‘golden handcuffs’ to social workers in the Referral & Assessment team in Children’s Services.

The Head of Human Resources explained the reasons for this proposal and confirmed there were regional and national shortages of staff to work in these roles and the cost of providing short term cover through agency workers caused a significant financial pressure. He went on to explain that a "golden hello" was an amount paid to an employee as an inducement to take up employment with a particular employer and a “golden handcuff” was an amount paid to existing employees as a means of holding on to key employees and increasing employee retention rates.

Members discussed the proposals put forward and noted that a ‘golden hello’ payment of £2500 (pro-rata for part time) would be payable to all new starters, as a one off payment, on the successful completion of the probationary period and a ‘golden handcuff’ payment of £2500 (pro-rata for part time) would be paid to all current staff in the Referral & Assessment Team.

Following discussions on the financial implications and questions from Members, officers confirmed:

·        This process had been successful in other Local Authorities, when used alongside other strategies to recruit to these posts where there was a national shortage of workers.

·        They would continue to engage student social workers.

·        They would monitor the pilot and would bring back an update to this committee and to the relevant Executive Member Decision Session.

·        Further discussions would take place with trade union colleagues and appropriate staff prior to implementing these payments.

·        The payment would be recovered in full, should a member of staff leave the authority within one year of the agreement.

·        50% of the payment would be recovered, should a member of staff leave within two years of the agreement.

Members considered the impact this proposal would have on the department and agreed implementation would need to be handled vigilantly.

Resolved:   That the payment of ‘golden hellos’ and ‘golden handcuffs’ to social workers in the Referral & Assessment team in Children’s Services for a 12 month pilot period, be agreed.

Reason: To support the recruitment and retention of social work staff to stabilise the R&A team.

The report asks Members to agree a number of changes to the membership of Committees and Outside Body Appointments.

At the Annual Council meeting on 25 May 2017, appointments were made to Outside Bodies for the 2017/18 municipal year.

The committee considered the following requests:

·        Area Planning Sub Committee

To appoint Cllr Pavlovic as Labour substitute.

·        Audit and Governance Committee

To appoint Cllr Looker as Labour substitute.

·        Children Education and Communities Policy and Scrutiny Committee

To appoint Cllr Crawshaw to replace Cllr Wells as a Committee Member.

To appoint Cllr Wells as Labour substitute.

·        Corporate Appeals Panel

To appoint Cllr Funnnell as Labour substitute.

·        Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee

To appoint Cllr Crisp as Labour substitute.

·        Economy and Place Policy Development Committee

To appoint Cllr Williams as Labour substitute.

·        Economy and Place Scrutiny Committee

To appoint Cllr Flinders as Labour substitute.

Education Appeals Panel

·        To appoint Cllr Crawshaw as Labour substitute.

Equality Advisory Group

·        To appoint Cllr Crisp as Labour substitute.

·        Health, Housing and Adult Social Care Policy and Scrutiny Committee

To appoint Cllr Pavlovic to replace Cllr S Barnes.

To appoint Cllr Derbyshire as Labour substitute.

·        Health and Wellbeing Board

To appoint Cllr S Barnes as Labour substitute.

·        Housing Appeals Panel

To appoint Cllr Derbyshire as Labour substitute.

·        Joint Standards Committee

To appoint Cllr Shepherd as Labour substitute.

·        Local Plan Working Group

To appoint Cllr D Myers as Labour substitute.

·        Planning Committee

To appoint Cllr Crawshaw as Labour substitute.

·        Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee

To appoint Cllr S Barnes as Labour substitute.

·        North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority

To appoint Cllr Funnell as Labour substitute.

·        York Central Community Forum

To appoint Cllr Crawshaw.

·        Terry’s Community Forum

Cllr Crawshaw to replace former Cllr Gunnell.

Members noted that the amendments to the Micklegate York Charitable Trust outside body was still under deliberation and an additional proposal was put forward that Cllr Reid replaced Cllr Orrell as a Committee Member on the Economy and Place Scrutiny Committee.

Resolved:  That the above changes, to Committees and outside body memberships, be agreed.

Reason:     In order to make appropriate appointments to the Council’s Committees and Outside Bodies for the current municipal year.

This report advises the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee of the expenditure associated with pension or exit discretions in accordance with council policy.

Members considered a report which detailed expenditure associated with a pension or exit discretion in accordance with Council policy.

The background and detailed case surrounding the proposal was contained in the business case attached as a confidential annexe to the report.

Following a detailed discussion Members showed some dissatisfaction on the content of the business case and requested officers ensure future reports put forward consider the potential specific implications for service delivery and detail proposals for how this will be managed.¹

Resolved:  That the expenditure associated with the proposed pension or exit  discretion, as detailed in Annex A of the report, be approved.

Reason:  In order to provide an overview of expenditure and to consider whether the Council should exercise its discretionary powers to make enhancements.