Agenda and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

Cllr Simpson-Laing declared a personal interest in the business generally, as a member of UNISON.

To consider the exclusion of the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the annexes to Agenda Item 6 (Redundancy – Expenditure), to be circulated to Members at the meeting, on the grounds that they contain information relating to individuals and to 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 consideration of the annexes to Agenda Item 6 (Redundancy – Expenditure), on the grounds that they contain information relating to individuals and to the financial affairs of particular persons, which 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 4 October 2010.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee meeting held on 4 October 2010 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Committee’s remit can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5.00 pm on Friday, 19 November 2010.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report advises the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee of the extent of its powers in relation to proposed redundancies.

Members considered a report which advised them of the extent of the Committee’s powers in relation to proposed redundancies.

Despite the apparently wide nature of its delegated powers under the Council’s Constitution, the Committee did not have the power to decide whether or not an individual member of staff (other than a Chief Officer) should be made redundant.  Neither could it attempt to impose lower severance terms than those provided by statute or contract.

The Committee’s role in terms of redundancies, therefore, was limited to deciding whether or not to award discretionary enhancements.  Under the Constitution, this role could also be performed by Chief Officers.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

REASON:      To confirm that the Committee is aware of the extent of its legal powers.

This report advises Members of the expenditure associated with the proposed dismissal of a number of employees on the grounds of redundancy.  Details of the individual cases will be circulated to Members at the meeting.

Members considered a report which advised them of the expenditure associated with the proposed dismissal of a number of employees on the grounds of redundancy. 

Details of the four individual cases were circulated at the meeting, as exempt annexes to the report.  All related to voluntary redundancies and no discretionary enhancements were proposed.

RESOLVED: That the expenditure associated with the proposed dismissal of the four employees on the grounds of redundancy, as detailed in the annexes to the report, be noted.

REASON:      To confirm that the Committee has been informed of this expenditure.