Agenda and minutes

To remind Members of the need to record the existence and nature of any personal, disclosable pecuniary or other registrable interests in items on the agenda, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest received.

The Commission accepted a call-in request following the last Executive meeting which was submitted on 23 July 2021 to review the Executive’s decision (EX4011) of 15 July 2021 concerning Timelord 2. The call-in request had been submitted in accordance with Sections 5.3 and 6.4 of the Council’s Constitution.

The Timelord 2 report was presented for consideration by the Executive on 15 July 2021. The report recommended that the Executive resolved to approve as follows:

·         To approve the Timelord 2 working model as set out in the covering report.

·         To approve an ongoing allocation of funding from within existing budgets for a staff home working allowance of £150,000 per annum.

·         To approve £50,000 of costs, from within existing budgets, to fund the ongoing additional costs of the internal booking system, staff development and support costs in respect of Timelord 2 and a doubling of the Reasonable Adjustments Budget.

·         To approve the sum of £691,130 to be borrowed to fund the capital works required to support the goals of Timelord 2.

·         To review the effectiveness of new proposals six months after the Timelord Programme has been implemented.

·         Once this review has been completed; to approve the disposal of the West Street House and West Point buildings if appropriate.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution five Elected Members (Councillors Lee Dillon, Alan Macro, Jeff Brooks, Tony Vickers and Erik Pattendon) called in the Executive Decision (EX4011) on the basis of the following:

1)    Concerns around signing off a largely operational strategy before our new CEO is in post.

2)    Concerns that in 4.1.1 and 7.8 none of the key principles refer to our residents and the quality of service they receive and the few measures in place to address this.

3)    The cost to the Council of paying £12.50 to staff to work from home when many of them will be saving on commuting costs.

4)    Lack of evidence that this new arrangement can “better support service users from home” and the need for such evidence to be provided.

5)    Concerns around confidentiality and safeguarding for customers and residents as 20% to 30% of WBC’s workforce do not have dedicated office space at home and a lack of mitigation measures in this matter. We do not believe it is sufficient to say that the working from home pattern over the last 17 months has resolved this aspect.

6)    That if core hours cease (8.37) allowing highly variable work hours, there will be a concomitant lack of effective communication and continuity of service between employees, resulting in a poorer service for residents and customers. Core hours should be maintained, even if adapted.

7)    The challenge that variable work-styles and core hours will create for managers in ensuring that new starters have requisite support in for the first 6 months of their contract.

8)    Concerns over the haste with which these changes are being made despite the assertion (7.13) that it is not known how things will work post Covid.

9)    Lack of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.