Hart Borough Council Staffing and Appeals Committee Meeting

The minutes of the meeting held on 9th February 2023 were agreed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record. (Discrepancy of incorrect agenda item date reconciled).

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Crampton and Radley.

Councillor Dorn attended as a substitute for Councillor Crampton.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman had no announcements.

To consider the performance objectives for the Chief Executive for the coming year, 2023/24. The objectives are used as a basis of evaluation of the Chief Executive’s performance.

Members discussions and recommendations included:

·       That the JNC handbook model appraisal framework be accepted for future appraisals, and the Committee agreed that a task and finish group of 3 members, one from each main party, should review the guidance and agree how to operate it in practice. Membership of the task and finish group will be agreed at the next Staffing Committee meeting and will be reported to Staffing Committee in January 2024.

·       The draft objectives set out in Appendix 1 were discussed in detail. Items such as Cyber Security, Civic Quarter and Returning Officer were discussed but it was agreed not to include them.

·       It was agreed that 8b and 9a in the covering report need to be rephrased to make them more meaningful.

The following amendments to Appendix 1 were agreed:

·       Dates and milestones must be added where appropriate.

·       Remove the 7th objective ‘Assess the impact of the Environment Act’.

·       Revise the 8th objective to read ‘Develop the Commercial Strategy and present options to maximise income and improve financial management and control’.

·       Insert a new objective ‘Effective leadership for a council-wide cost saving and efficiency programme in support of the MTFS which enables a balanced budget and targets resources to Corporate Plan priorities.

It was agreed that the revised version of Appendix 1 (which should include item numbers) should be agreed by the Chairman and Leader, then circulated to committee members and agreed by email.

DECISION

1. the 2023/2024 objectives for the Chief Executive set out in Appendix 1, updated by the above agreed amendments, be confirmed.

2. For future annual appraisals (i.e., 2024/2025 onwards) it is proposed to implement an appraisal process for the Chief Executive and Chief Officers in line with the guidance laid out within the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Handbooks for both Chief Executives and Chief Officers, subject to the task and finish group reviewing its operation as described above.

3. In the case of the Chief Executive, it is recommended that Staffing Committee agrees to the annual cyclical use, from 2024/2025 onwards, of the LGAs Chief Executive 360 Framework tool.

4. For all future Chief Executive annual appraisals, the current job specification and current objectives must be included in the Staffing Committee agenda paperwork.

To consider recommending to Cabinet that the Council joins the Local Government Association (LGA) flagship management trainee programme – the National Graduate Development Programme for local government (NGDP).

Members discussions and recommendations included:

·       That this approach should supplement, not replace, current recruitment practice and it should not exclude good quality, non-graduates from Hart intake.

·       We must be able to measure the value to the Council of this programme, and monitor its success, in terms of monetary and time costs incurred.

·       The risks of investing time in a graduate and them leaving after or before 2-years vs the benefit of having a high-caliber person working in priority services/projects

·       The benefits listed in the report including LGA funding and rigorous pre-selection process.

DECISION

That Staffing Committee recommends to Cabinet that, subject to budget availability, the Council should consider joining the Local Government Association (LGA) National Graduate Development Programme for local government (NGDP).

This decision was Proposed by Councillor Worlock; Seconded by Councillor Farmer.