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 any personal, prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests that they might have in respect of business on the agenda. No additional interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee held on 24 November 2014.

Resolved:      That the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 24 November 2014 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 5 December 2014 at 5.00 pm.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast and that

includes any registered public speakers, who have given their

permission. This broadcast can be viewed at:

http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

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:

http://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/download/3130/protocol_for

_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings

It was reported that there had been two registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme, however only one of the registered speakers attended the meeting.

Heather McKenzie, spoke on behalf of UNISON, in relation to the national pay award for Local Government Services Employees. She referred to the difficulties of local implementation of this particular award. She confirmed that, following inclusion in the national agreement work would be undertaken with other authorities to improve future implementation. She referred to the national agreement which recommended fair, equal treatment for all and requested the Committee to apply the lump sum payment to all staff on the pay structure.

At Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee on the 24 November 2014 Members were asked to consider a recommendation to ‘engage a recruitment agency to support the selection committee with the recruitment process’ for the positions of Director of Adult Services and Assistant Director of Adult Services. It was requested that further information was presented back to the committee.

Consideration was given to a report which provided further information in respect of the engagement of a recruitment agency to support the selection committee with recruitment for the positions of Director of Adult Services and Assistant Director for Adult Services. This report followed a request for further information and options in relation to the recruitment process, requested at the last meeting of the Committee on 24 November 2014.

Consideration was also given to Appendix A to the report, which set out the Chief Officer recruitment and selection process detailing the options and possible costs at each stage.

Officers highlighted the issues and difficulties of recruitment to Adult Services posts at this senior level and to the options available.

Members questioned details of the costs relating to advertisement, preparation of the job description, recruitment agencies previously used and the level of their involvement in each of the processes.

Following discussion it was

Resolved:    That approval be given to the appointment of a specialist recruitment agency to support the selection committee, in relation to the executive search and technical assessment, including the long listing of candidates, for the recruitment process for the positions of Director and Assistant Director of Adult Services, as detailed at Annex A.

Reason:      To progress appointments and reduce risks highlighted in the report in relation to these critical roles.

This report outlines the council’s application of the national pay award for Local Government Services employees. It describes the difficulties of this particular award and the decisions and consequences of its implementation.

Members considered a report which outlined details of the Council’s application of the national pay award for Local Government Services employees. In particular it described the difficulties of this award and the decisions and consequences of implementation.

It was noted that the proposals agreed between the employers and trade unions set different pay awards and non consolidated lump sums linked to national pay scale as opposed to a single overall percentage increase to pay rates. It was also noted that 151 employees on the local pay structure on Grades 11 (Level 3 to 4) and 12 were not currently covered by the principals in the national agreement for a lump sum payment.

In answer to Members questions, Officers confirmed that a decision in relation to Chief Officer pay could be deferred, pending the outcome of the pay negotiations.

Following further discussion it was

Resolved: That the Committee agree to:

(i)           Note the contents of the report.

(ii)         Note the agreement reached with Trade Unions to change the salary of Grade 2 Level 1 to £13,868.

(iii)        Make a lump sum payment to 151 staff at Grade 11 Level 3 and Level 4 and Grade 12, at a cost of £30,350.

(iv)       Defer further consideration of the Chief Officer pay offer for consideration at Full Council.

Reason: (i)      To understand the key issues and implications of applying the national pay award for 2014/16.

     (ii)      To maintain the integrity of the local pay structure.

(iii)        To apply a lump sum payment to all staff on the pay structure, including those not expressly covered by the national pay award.

(iv)       To ensure the Chief Officer pay offer is considered alongside other pay matters.