Agenda and minutes

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

RESOLVED:       That Councillor Simpson-Laing be elected as Chair.

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 invited to declare any personal, prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests, other than their standing interests, that they might have in the business on the agenda.

No interests were declared.

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

Annexes to Agenda Item 6 (Redundancy) on the grounds that they contain information relating to individuals. 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 Item 6 (Redundancy) on the grounds that they contain information relating to individuals. 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 Tuesday 28 May 2013.

RESOLVED:       That the minutes of the meeting of the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee held on 28 May 2013 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 Friday 7 June 2013 at 5.00 pm.

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

At the Annual Council meeting on 23 May 2013 appointments were made to Committees, outside and partnership bodies together with appointments to Chairs and Vice-Chairs for the 2013/14 municipal year.  However, since those appointments were made we have been advised that a couple of changes are required to the agreed list.

Consideration was given by Members to a report which asked them to consider and agree to changes to appointments to Council Committees and Outside Bodies, which had originally been agreed at the Annual Council meeting.

In the view of the timing of forthcoming meetings of these Committees and bodies, the report asked Members to agree to the following changes;

Quasi-Judicial/Regulatory Function

·        Audit and Governance Committee- to add Councillor Brooks as the Conservative member and Vice Chair of the Committee in place of Councillor Steward. Councillor Steward to be listed as the first Conservative substitute in place of Councillor Brooks.

·        Gambling, Licensing and Regulatory Committee- to add Councillor Taylor as the Green member in place of Councillor D’Agorne.

Scrutiny Functions

·        Learning and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee- to add Councillor Taylor as the Green member in place of Councillor D’Agorne and to add Councillor D’Agorne as the substitute representative in place of Councillor Taylor.

Joint Working/Other

·        Ofsted Sub-Group- replace Councillor Cunningham-Cross with Councillor Boyce as the third Labour member on this Group.

RESOLVED:       (i)      That the report be noted.

(ii)      That the changes to the appointments to Council Committees and Outside Bodies as listed above be agreed.¹

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

Members considered a report which asked them to agree to the dismissal of a Chief Officer on the grounds of compulsory redundancy and the approval for the Council to make payments in respect of both statutory and contractual obligations in respect to the dismissal.

Details of the employee were contained as an exempt annex to the report, this annex was circulated at the meeting.

The report informed Members that there was also a requirement for the financial package, if approved, to be considered at a Full Council meeting in line with the Council’s Pay Policy 2013/14. It suggested that Members recommend to Full Council that the wording in the Council’s Pay Policy be changed to allow all future Chief Officer severance packages over £100k in value to be considered and agreed at Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee. Given the frequency of Council meetings, if the recommendation was approved, this would then shorten the decision making process and associated costs attached with this.

Discussion between Members took place on issues associated around access to information on redundancy cases due to be presented at Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee meetings before the meeting, particularly in regards to allowing careful consideration of the details of the cases. Discussion also took place on the individual compulsory redundancy case itself.

Some Members suggested that the decision on whether to agree to compulsory dismissal be deferred until the next meeting, in order to give Members more time to examine the information circulated to them about the particular case. However, following an Officer presentation of the report and full debate all Members felt  that they could make a proper decision without having to defer the issue until the next meeting.

RECOMMENDED:  (i)That the proposed dismissal on the grounds of redundancy, and the associated expenditure detailed in the annex be agreed and details of the financial impact be referred to Full Council for its information and consideration.

REASON:                      In order to implement the City & Environmental Services restructure and make the required budgetary savings at Assistant Director level.

                     (ii)    Recommend to Full Council that the wording of the Council’s Pay Policy is amended to allow all future Chief Officer financial packages to be considered and approved at Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee.

REASON:           To reduce timescales and associated costs relating to the Chief Officer redundancy process.