Agenda and minutes

Venue: The Thornton Room - Ground Floor, West Offices (G039). View directions

Contact: Angela Bielby  Democracy Officer

Webcast: video recording

Items
No. Item

41.

Declarations of Interest

At this point, 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.

Minutes:

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests, that they might have in the business on the agenda.  None were declared.

 

42.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 139 KB

To approve and sign the minutes of the Economy & Place Policy & Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 10 December 2019.

Minutes:

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2019 be updated to include an amendment to minute 38 and be brought back for approval at the next meeting on 12 February 2020.

43.

Public Participation

It is at this point in the meeting that members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Tuesday 14 January 2020. Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the remit of the Committee. To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

 

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast, or recorded,  and that includes any registered public speakers, who have given their permission. The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts or, if recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting. 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 (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/download/downloads/id/11406/protocol_f

or_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_201

60809.pdf

Minutes:

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

 

44.

Overview Report on Economy and Place Sickness and Workloads pdf icon PDF 555 KB

This report provides the committee with information on the wellbeing of staff, specifically within the Economy and Place Directorate, through updated management information, staff survey results and ongoing activities to support the wellbeing of staff and to reduce absence levels.

Minutes:

Members considered a report that updated them on the wellbeing of staff within the Economy and Place (E&P) Directorate. The report included updated management information, staff survey results and information on ongoing activities to support the wellbeing of staff and reduction of staff absence levels. The report also considered any correlation between the staff survey results and absence figures and suggests areas where the committee may wish to scrutinise further.

 

The Corporate Director Economy and Place and Head of HR were in attendance to present the report. The Corporate Director highlighted a number of points:

·        Regarding the average sickness absence per full time equivalent post (fte), fleet made up over 50% of the workforce and there was a constant downward trend for sickness absence levels over the year.

·        Within the E&P Directorate the short term absence levels were different for manual workers than for office based members of staff.

·        The response rate in pulse survey 3 was under the average response rate. The survey undertaken was not adequate in that format and there is to be a different survey method for future surveys. Subsequent work would be undertaken with regard to workload and stress and the majority of those responses were in Planning, Public Protection and Transport. The work demand in these areas were uncontrollable, customer expectations were rising and often the professional decisions were subject to further challenge through appeals which often added further pressure and work demand. 

·        The correlation between absence data and staff survey responses was explained.

·        There needed to a positive and proactive approach to the workforce.

 

A request was made for the addition of a column in the table showing the average sickness days per fte for non-directly employed CYC staff and the Head of HR undertook to see if this was possible.

 

In response to Member questions, the Corporate Director Economy and Place and Head of HR explained that:

 

·        With regard to manager training on staff absence, 80% of managers had received face-to-face training on the day one absence management.

·        Concerning the sickness absence rates for office based and manual staff, health and safety in terms of public realm operations was a highest priority.

·        The pulse surveys were last undertaken on April/May 2019 and there were plans to rerun them in 2020.

·        Staff had not been engaged about responding to the surveys. However, other engagement activities had been undertaken, for example through the use of ipads. It could not be determined if there had been better engagement as different questions had been used in the different activities. The Chair suggested that the same questions needed to be used in the surveys in order to understand the perspective of the current workforce.

·        Following staff feedback investment was made in equipment, for example through the investment of in cab technology in the refuse collection vehicles.

·        It was acknowledged that there was sometimes a sense of haste in council communications to residents and the council strived to achieve better communications with residents.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

45.

Scoping report on in-work poverty including Employers' Charter and Living Hours pdf icon PDF 203 KB

This report presents the Economy and Place Policy and Scrutiny Committee with a request by the Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee (CSMC) to undertake a review into elements of poverty in the city which fall within the Economy and Place Policy and Scrutiny Committee’s remit, as part of a corporate review of poverty in York.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report that presented a request by the Customer and Corporate Services Scrutiny Management Committee (CSMC) to undertake a review into elements of poverty in the city which fall within the Economy and Place Policy and Scrutiny Committee’s remit, as part of a corporate review of poverty in York. The Scrutiny Officer outlined the report noting the proposed remit and timescales. The Corporate Director Economy and Place suggested that an Employers’ Charter could be examined as part of the Economic Strategy as a recommendation to the Executive. He was asked and explained the timeline for the Economic Strategy.

 

Members discussed the review on in work poverty and it was:

 

Resolved: That;

                     i.        The Committee undertake a review on in-work poverty including Employers' Charter and Living Hours

                    ii.        A task group (made up of Cllrs Douglas, Daubeney and Hook) be formed to further examine the remit of the review with the attendance of the Chair at the first task group meeting.

 

Reason:     To provide a corporate, cross-party response to poverty in the city.

46.

Work Plan 2019-20 pdf icon PDF 272 KB

To consider the Committee’s Work Plan for the remainder of the 2019-20 municipal year.

Minutes:

Members considered the committee’s work plan for the remainder of the 2019-20 municipal year.

 

Following discussion, Members agreed a number of changes to the work plan and it was:

 

Resolved:  That the work plan be updated to include the following items:

 

Wednesday 12 February 2020

1.   Overview Report on Economic Strategy including attendance of Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning.

2.   Bi-Annual Update report from the Managing Director of Make It York.

3.   2nd Quarter Finance and Performance Monitoring Report (slipped from December)

4.   Pre-Decision Report on EV Charging Strategy

5.   Pre-Decision Report on Fleet Strategy.

6.   Work Plan 2019-20

 

Wednesday 11 March 2020

1.   CYC Flood Defences Action Plan – Biannual Report

2.   Update report on Guildhall Project

3.   Update report on Planning Enforcement.

4.   Update report on In-Work Poverty Scrutiny review.

5.   Update report on Apprenticeships Scrutiny review

6.   Work Plan 2019-20

 

Wednesday 15 April 2020

1.   Update Report on Highways (content to be informed by Cllr Taylor).

2.   Work Plan 2019-20

                  

Reason:     To follow up on the decisions made at this meeting and to keep the work plan updated.

 

 

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