Agenda and minutes

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

Resolved: That Councillor Looker 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 asked to declare any personal, prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests that they might have in respect of 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 it contains 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) (Minute Item 73 refers) on the grounds that it contained information that related 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).

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Staffing Matters & Urgency Committee held on 5 January 2015.

Resolved: That the minutes of the last meeting of the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee held on 5 January 2015 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 16 January 2015 at 5.00 pm.

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 one registration to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Councillor Watt made a number of comments in relation to the proposed change in appointments to the Local Plan Working Group membership as detailed in Agenda Item 5 (Appointments to Committees and Outside Bodies). He made reference to a number of comments raised at the previous meeting and felt that proportionality on Committees did not apply to working groups. He felt that the proposed appointments illustrated that some Members wanted to halt the progress of publication of a Local Plan or the production of a map of sites for development before the Local Elections.

This report provides further details in relation to appointments deferred at the last meeting together with additional requests for changes made since that time.

Members considered a report which asked them to agree to a number of changes to Committees and Outside Bodies as a result of a number of changes namely; the recent change in Council leadership, the reduction in Cabinet members, changes to Conservative group places on Committees as a result of Councillor Watt’s resignation from the Conservative Group and changes to the Terms of Reference and Membership of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

An updated list of nominations was circulated to the Committee (re-published with the agenda with the agenda online).

Members were taken through the various changes to be considered one by one.

In regards to the proposal to replace Councillor Watt on Local Plan Working Group, Councillor Watson felt that Councillor Watt would make a good Independent Member on the committee. [As amended at Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee on Monday 16 February 2015]

The Chair commented that it was not the role of the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee to make decisions in regards to the composition of committee places, which should be reserved to each political group.

Discussion took place on the proposal to change the start time of meetings from 1 pm to 5.30 pm. It was suggested that the current day of the meeting, Monday, should remain as it avoided clashes with other meetings that Members might have to attend.

Resolved:

That:

(i)           That the following changes and appointments be agreed to Outside Bodies, Committees for the remainder of the municipal year etc¹²:

·        Councillor Williams to replace Councillor Alexander as Labour substitute on the Local Plan Working Group.

·        To request that West Yorkshire Combined Authority appoint Councillor Williams to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority-Investment Committee, to replace Councillor Alexander, the former Council Leader, in line with WYCA requirements.

·        Councillor Healey, as Conservative rep, to replace Councillor Watt on the Local Plan Working Group.

·        Councillor Steward as the Conservative Vice Chair of the Local Plan Working Group.

·        Councillor Healey as both a member of the Economic and City Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee and as Vice Chair, to replace Councillor Watt in both roles.

·        Councillor Richardson to replace Councillor Watt as Vice Chair of Gambling, Licensing & Regulatory Committee.

·        Councillor Barton to replace Councillor Watt as the Conservative Group’s substitute representative on the Without Walls Partnership.

·        Councillor Richardson to replace Councillor Watt on the Joint Member Working Group on the Joint Mineral and Waste Plan.

·        Councillor Levene to replace Councillor Merrett on the Local Government North Yorkshire Spatial Planning and Transport Board.

·        Councillor Williams to replace Councillor Fraser as one of the Labour representatives on the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee.

·        Luke Barnett and Melanie McQueen from York CVS as the named member and substitute member respectively, to act as representatives from the York Voluntary and Community sector on the Health and Wellbeing Board.

(ii)          That the additional information received in relation to the appointment of Councillor Cunningham, previously made to the City of York Trading Company Shareholder Committee be noted.

(iii)        That the Cabinet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72.

This report advises the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee of the expenditure associated with the proposed dismissal of a number of employees on the grounds of redundancy.  This summary information covers the period October 2014 to December 2014.

Members received a quarterly report which summarised the  expenditure associated with the dismissal of a number of employees on the grounds of redundancy during the period from October 2014 to December 2014.

Confidential summary information was circulated to Members at the meeting.

Officers explained that there had been a slight increase in the percentage of compulsory redundancies but that everything was being done to mitigate the redundancy. Members were informed of the process and timescales of how redundancies were authorised. In response to a request from Members, Officers confirmed that at future meetings they would provide figures which would show how many staff were redeployed into other jobs.

Resolved:  That the report be noted.

Reason:     In order to provide an overview of the expenditure and to maintain transparency and scrutiny of the process.