Agenda and minutes

Due to the absence of the Chair, Councillor Alexander, Members were asked to elect a Chair for the meeting.

RESOLVED:That Councillor Gunnell be elected Chair for the meeting.

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.

Councillor Fraser declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 (Redundancy) as a member of the retired section of UNISON and the retired section of Unite (TGWU/ACTS sections).

No other interests were declared.

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

Annexes to Agenda Item 5 (Redundancy) 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 consideration of the annexes to agenda item 5 (Redundancy) on the grounds that they contain information relating to individuals and 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 20 June 2011.

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the meeting of the Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee held on 20 June 2011 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 at 5.00 pm on Friday 1 July 2011.

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

This report advises Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee of the expenditure associated with the proposed dismissal of a number of employees on the grounds of redundancy and where discretionary enhancements are proposed seeks the Committee’s approval to them. Exempt annexes containing details of the individual cases will be circulated to Members of the Committee at the meeting.

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

Details of the seven individual employees concerned were contained in business cases which were circulated at the meeting as exempt annexes A-F. Six of the proposed redundancies were voluntary and one was compulsory.

An additional discretionary flexible retirement request, as detailed at Annex F was presented. This proposal set out details of an employee taking a career break and upon return to work reducing hours from full time to part time and being granted access to a pension on an actuarial reduced basis. It was reported that there would be no cost to the employer. Members were asked to make a decision on this proposal.

RESOLVED:  (i) That the expenditure associated with the proposed dismissal of the employees on the grounds of redundancy, as detailed in annexes A-E circulated at the meeting be noted.

                      (ii) That the Committee’s discretionary powers be exercised to grant the flexible retirement request, as detailed in Annex F.

REASON:            So that Members have an overview of the expenditure.