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 approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee held on 20 July 2020.

Resolved: That the minutes of the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee held on 20 July 2020 be approved as a correct record and then signed by the Chair at a future date.

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Ms Swinburn, a local resident, spoke on Agenda Item 4, Corporate Management Team (CMT) Restructure.  She referred to advice from the Local Government Association relating to the potential timing of management changes, with devolution under consideration.  She then highlighted a range of comments to the suggested models from local government colleagues, which she had sourced. She questioned when a wider representation of Councillors would be given the opportunity to discuss the proposed structures, including the options for a Chief Executive. She requested that the restructure be delayed until devolution was resolved.

This report presents feedback from the consultation exercise undertaken on options for a revised Corporate Management Team (CMT), and asks Members to consider the options in the light of further analysis and take steps to progress the appointment of a Head of Paid Service who, once appointed, will make recommendations to Council on a proposed structure.

Members considered a report that provided feedback from the consultation exercise and options to consider for a revised Corporate Management Team (CMT), which would ensure efficiencies were made, as agreed in Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee in February 2020.

The Head of HR was in attendance to provide an update and she confirmed that full consultation with Elected Members, key stakeholders, partners across the city and the relevant officers had taken place and the feedback received was noted in Annex A of the report, including the Local Government Associations (LGA) research that was attached at Annex B. Members were informed  that the LGA had provided options for the Committee to consider and that all the options put forward achieved an efficiency saving of at least £81k.

The Head of HR confirmed that by law the Council was required to dedicate a Head of Paid Service to one of its officers but there was no legal requirement to have a Chief Executive, as such. The Head of Paid Service role would also act as Returning Officer for the Council and Members noted the statutory duties, as described in paragraph 13 of the report.

The impact of the current economic climate, the consultation process and the financial parameters were discussed and the following four models were explained:

1.            Head of Paid Service

2.            Chief Operating Officer (COO) 

3.            Traditional Stand-alone Chief Executive

4.            Shared Chief Executive

Members noted that any restructure would be carried out in accordance with the Council’s management of change process and that once a preferred structure was agreed any implications for staff would be identified in line with procedure.  A chief officer appointment sub-committee would also be required as part of the process and Full Council would approve the appointment of a Head of Paid Service.

Members also noted that to achieve a shared Chief Executive structure the authority would be required to engage with local authorities who would be willing to embark on a shared Chief Executive arrangement and it was anticipated that this model would take some time to complete. 

The Head of HR answered Members questions where it was confirmed that timelines would be agreed once a preferred option was adopted and that across all local authorities a variety of models were used.

Members discussed the impact of devolution and considered the recommendations in the report.  Following a detailed discussion around the alternatives, it was:

Resolved:

i)             That the options put forward by the LGA and the analysis completed within the report on the impact within CYC be noted.

ii)            That Option 2, Chief Operating Officer (COO) Model be agreed and progressed as the preferred structure for the Head of Paid Service.  Where that affects the Section 151 role then that should be addressed at the same time.

iii)            That an Appointments Sub-Committee consisting of four Members, (2 Liberal Democrat, 1 Green Party and 1 Labour) be established.

iv)           That the process continued to be completed in line with HR polices, employment legislation and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

This report seeks approval for amendments to the Council’s appointments to committees and outside bodies.

Members considered a report which sought approval for a number of changes to the Council’s appointments. 

The Committee considered the changes to membership of Committees, including those arising from Councillor D Taylor becoming an independent Councillor on the Authority and the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer confirmed that as a result of the changes, and in light of overall proportionality calculations, the Labour Group were required to lose 1 place on a ‘Committee’ to give to the Liberal Democrat Group. 

Proposed appointments were set out in the report and in the supplementary annex, and the following additional changes were reported at the meeting:

Climate Change Policy and Scrutiny Committee

To remove Councillor Hook.

Economy and Place Policy and Scrutiny Committee

Councillor Hook to be appointed as a Committee Member.

Further to the discussion, it was suggested that a further place on Climate Change Policy and Scrutiny Committee might proportionately be available to the Labour Group and it was agreed to review that position and liaise with the Labour Group outside the meeting.

Resolved: 

(i)      That the changes to appointments set out in paragraph 3 of the report, in the supplementary annex and the further changes reported at the meeting be approved.

(ii)      That the Labour Group confirm which Committee place they would offer to the Liberal Democrat Group; and

(iii)     That the proportional position for the Labour Group referred to above be investigated and resolved outside the meeting.

Reason:     To ensure that appropriate Council appointments to Committees and Outside Body appointments for the remainder of the current municipal year.

To consider the Committee’s draft work plan up to December 2020.

Members considered the Committee’s work plan to the end of the 2020 calendar year and it was

Resolved:  That the work plan be approved subject to moving the 7 September meeting to 21 September 2020.

Reason:     To ensure that the Committee has a planned programme of work in place.