Hampshire County Council Employment in Hampshire County Council Committee Meeting

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Philpott, Cllr Mummalaneni attended in his place as the Conservative substitute. Apologies were also received from Cllr House, Cllr Park attended in his place as the Liberal Democrat substitute. Apologies were also received from Cllr Forster and Cllr Parker.

All Members who believe they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting must declare that interest and, having regard to Part 3 Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore all Members with a Personal Interest in a matter being considered at the meeting should consider, having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 4 of the Code, whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 5 of the Code, consider whether it is appropriate to leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

No declarations were made.

The minutes of the last meeting were reviewed and agreed. It was requested that in future the minutes reflect if a substitute member attended, but not list the substitutes if they did not attend.

No deputations were received.

The Chairman noted that it would be the last meeting John Coughlan, Chief Executive, would be attending before retiring and thanked him for his support to the Committee over the years. The Chairman congratulated Carolyn Williamson on being appointed to take over as the new Chief Executive.

The Chairman also recorded thanks to the members who previously sat on the Committee who had stood down at the County elections in May.

The Employment in Hampshire County Council (EHCC) Committee considered a report of the Director of Corporate Resources regarding the County Councils joint venture agency, Connect2Hampshire (C2H). Members heard that the joint venture had been created two years ago in order to enable the council to better manage supply of agency workers.

The report highlighted that the provider of IT services to C2H experienced a significant cyber attack in April 2020. There was no loss of personal data, however the agency had to operate without many key systems for several months. The pandemic also impacted the agency, with demand up in some areas such as agency workers in social care, but below expectations in other areas of business as a result of the lockdowns.

While it was difficult to quantify improvement in the quality of the temporary workforce as a result of the venture, feedback suggested recruiting officers had greater confidence in the quality of candidates being sourced. There was also a small estimated profit share that would be received by the County Council.

Members asked questions for clarification. It was confirmed that social care agency staff were only placed with one care home, not working across locations, to minimise risk.

RESOLVED:

The EHCC Committee note the challenges faced by Connect2Hampshire during 2020/21, and its performance during this period in relation to the provision of temporary agency workforce to the County Council.

The Employment in Hampshire County Council (EHCC) Committee considered a report of the Director of Corporate Resources regarding the Annual Workforce Report for 2020/21. It was noted that the look of the report had been changed based on accessibility feedback and the report now included additional data on diversity. Members welcomed the style of the report.

It was reported that in March 2021 around 800 county council staff had been on furlough. A new staff network for working parents had been established. Data on ethnicity suggests the proportion of staff from a minority background was now higher than the proportion in the Hampshire population.

Members asked questions about the report and received responses, including:

·         that the lowest pay rate was higher than the national minimum wage, however the county didn’t currently have living wage accreditation.  

·         Staff had been provided with tools to support remote working, and a hybrid model of working partly in the office and partly remotely was being developed to start in September

RESOLVED:

The Employment in Hampshire County Council Committee:

1.    Review the content of the Annual Workforce Report

2.    Note the progress of the actions and next steps.

The Employment in Hampshire County Council (EHCC) Committee considered a report of the Director of Corporate Resources providing an update on the National Pay Award, proposed employment related legislative changes and a change to terms and conditions for future appointments to Chief Officers on the Corporate Management Team.

It was noted that a pay award of 1% had been allowed for in the budget, and a report would be brought back to the committee if the award agreed nationally was higher than 1.5%. It was reported that the government were consulting on proposals to require Councils to publish data on exit payments on an annual basis. It was also noted that the normal minimum pension age was currently 55 and would rise to 57 in 2028.

It was proposed to make future Corporate Management Team appointments on EHCC terms and conditions with 30 days annual leave. Members asked questions for clarification.

RESOLVED:

1.    That EHCC note the current position of national pay negotiations and agree to apply the national pay award to EHCC Grades A – G and payments for standby and sleeping in duties, once national negotiations have concluded as contractually obliged to do so.

2.    As in previous years, that EHCC agree to officers applying the same national pay award to EHCC Grades H and above, on the presumption that it is no more than 1.5%. If the settlement is higher than this a decision will be brought back to EHCC. Consultation with recognised Trade Unions will be undertaken regarding this decision.

3.    EHCC notes that if in the national negotiations the employer side considers making or accepting an offer which is higher than 1.5% overall, updates will be provided to EHCC and Cabinet as required to advise of the implications including any unfunded financial pressure created consequently.

4.    That EHCC note the ongoing national discussions regarding exit payments.

5.    That EHCC note the forthcoming change in 2028 to the Normal Minimum Pension Age.

6.    That EHCC agree all future Corporate Management Team (CMT) appointments will be made on EHCC terms and conditions only, with 30 days annual leave. Other Chief Officers, who are not members of CMT, will continue to be appointed on EHCC terms and conditions only.

The Employment in Hampshire County Council (EHCC) Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive regarding organisational and senior management changes since the last update in March 2019.

Members heard that functions previously under the ‘Transformation and Governance’ section had been re-aligned to other areas of the Council. An existing Assistant Director had been appointed to Deputy Director in both Children’s Services and Culture Communities and Business Services (CCBS). Two existing senior officers in CCBS had also been acting up to Assistant Director roles, and an appointment panel would be following this meeting to consider making those permanent appointments.

RESOLVED:

The EHCC Committee note the adjustments that have been made to departmental arrangements as outlined in the body of the report.

The Employment in Hampshire County Council (EHCC) Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive Designate regarding organisational and senior management changes required as a result of the current Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Resources being appointed as the next Chief Executive from 19 July 2021.

It was noted that the current Assistant Chief Executive would remain in post until October 2021 to assist with a smooth transition of Chief Executive. Members asked questions for clarification. It was noted that the two deputy Chief Executive’s would have equal standing, and an arrangement would be established so that it was clear who was deputising at any one time.

RESOLVED:

The EHCC Committee agree the organisational and senior management changes necessary as a result of the current Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Resources being appointed as the County Councils next Chief Executive, commencing 19 July 2021 as follows:-

·         To delete the post of Director of Corporate Resources.

·         To agree the expansion of the role of the current Head of Finance and redesignate to Director of Corporate Operations / Chief Financial Officer and, with an appointment panel in early September followed by a recommendation to County Council on 30 September in line with the requirements of the Constitution regarding this Statutory Appointment.

·         To agree the expansion of the current Assistant Director Human Resources & Workforce Development and redesignate to Director of Human Resources, Organisational Development & Customer Engagement Services, with a Member Appointment Panel in early September.

·         To agree to redesignate the current Corporate Finance Manager role to Head of Finance and this role holder will be the Deputy Chief Finance Officer for the County Council, with a Member Appointment Panel in early September.

·         To note that the current Head of Pensions will become the Deputy Chief Finance Officer for the Pension Fund.

·         To agree the expansion of the current role of the Head of Shared Services and redesignate as Director of Shared Services, with a Member Appointment Panel in early September

·         To agree that the following posts will be appointed to on an interim basis with effect from 19 July:-

-       Director of Corporate Operations / Chief Financial Officer

-       Director of Human Resources, Organisational Development &

Customer Engagement Services

-       Head of Finance

-       Director of Shared Services

With a report to County Council on 22 July to appoint the Chief Financial Officer on an interim basis as required in line with Constitutional requirements regarding this Statutory Appointment.

·         To agree the appointment of two Deputy Chief Executive roles through due process and appointment by the Chief Executive, open to current members of the Corporate Management Team.

·         Agree to the creation of a new Assistant Chief Executive role reporting directly to the Chief Executive, focussing on Partnerships, to be filled through an open recruitment process.

·         It is also proposed that subject to Member appointment panel, delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Chairman of the EHCC Committee to set salary rates for each of the post holders referred to in this report which are reflective of the established rates for the posts.

RESOLVED:

That in relation to the following item the press and public be excluded from the meeting, as it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of proceedings, that if a member of the public were present during the item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within Paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, and further that in all circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exempt information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons set out in the report.

The exempt minute of an exempt item considered at the meeting on 11 March 2021 was agreed as a correct record.