Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 20 December 2012.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 20 December 2012 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Chairman welcomed the members of staff and trade union representative who were attending the meeting to listen to the debate on the Market Supplement Review paper. It was also noted that Councillor Adrian Edwards was attending the meeting even though he was not required to substitute for any of his colleagues. He would therefore not be taking part in the voting on any of the items.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members.

Councillors Argyle, Linden, Lock, Rowles and Webb declared an interest in Agenda Items 5 and 7, but reported that, as their interest was personal and not prejudicial, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.

Councillors Argyle, Linden, Lock, Rowles and Webb declared that they had been lobbied on Agenda Items 5 and 7.

Purpose: To present a pay policy statement to be published from 1st April 2012 for approval.

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4) concerning the Council’s Pay Policy Statement which would come into effect on the 01 April 2013. Jane Milone in introducing the item reported that the Council was required to publish the statement in order to comply with s38 of the Localism Act 2011 and the Code of Practice for Local Authorities on Data Transparency in relation to remuneration and responsibilities of senior officers.

Ms Milone explained that this was the second time the policy had been presented to the Personnel Committee.

Members considered the report and agreed to recommend it to full Council for approval.

RESOLVED that the report would be recommended to full Council (05 March 2013) for approval.

Purpose: To seek Personnel Committee approval for a proposal to abolish the Market Supplement Policy from 1st April 2014.

(Councillors Argyle, Linden, Lock, Rowles and Webb declared a personal interest in Agenda item 5 by virtue of the fact that the members of staff affected by the proposed abolition of market supplements were known to them. As their interest was personal and not a disclosable pecuniary interest they determined to take part in the debate and vote on the matter. The Councillors also noted that they had been lobbied on this item).

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 5) which sought approval for the abolition of the Market Supplement Policy from 01 April 2014. Officers reported that if approved no new market supplements would be paid after the 19 February 2013 and existing market supplement payments would cease on 31 March 2013.

The Chairman announced that in accordance with paragraph 7.12.4 of the Constitution he would like to suspend standing orders in order to allow a member of staff and a representative of the trade union to address the Committee. Once the addresses had been received standing orders would be reinstated and a debate on the general principles would be undertaken in the public meeting.  Members would then discuss confidential matters under Part II. The Committee voted to approve this proposal.

Robert O’ Reilly in introducing the report noted that Market Supplements had originally been introduced to increase the salary of individuals in particular jobs where it had been difficult to recruit to or retain employees in order to meet service needs. With a change in the economic climate it was no longer deemed necessary to continue to pay the enhancements in order to meet service needs.

Officers were concerned that the Council might be the subject of an equal pay challenge should these payments continue in the current job market. The concern was based on the fact that 70% of the Council’s workforce was female and only 24% of those in receipt of market supplements were female.

A consultation exercise had been undertaken with those affected by the removal of the market supplement payments (this included members o staff as well as their managers) and the key issues that had emerged were:

·        these employees were loyal and ‘would go the extra mile’ and this might not be the case if the payments were removed;

·        the payments had been received for so long that the employees had come to regard them as a permanent part of their remuneration package;

·        employees losing the supplements would suffer financial hardship.

Robert O’ Reilly in responding to these concerns stated that as the additional payments were expressly referred to in their terms and conditions any implied permanence could not be substantiated. The Council had a duty to be fair to all employees and they could therefore not consider the financial situations of these individuals. If employees were being asked to undertake duties above those that could be expected of them this should be addressed by taking the job descriptions through the Job Evaluation process.

Councillor Peter Argyle queried whether these employees  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

RECOMMENDATION: That members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information of the description contained in the paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 specified in brackets in the heading of each item.

RESOLVED that members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the under-mentioned item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as contained in Paragraphs(s) * of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation) Order 2006. Rule 9.10.4 of the Constitution also refers.

Purpose: To consider the confidential appendices attached to this report.

(Councillors Argyle, Linden, Lock, Rowles and Webb declared a personal interest in Agenda item 7 by virtue of the fact that the members of staff affected by the proposed abolition of market supplements were know to them. As their interest was personal and not a disclosable pecuniary interest they determined to take part in the debate and vote on the matter. The Councillors also noted that they had been lobbied on this item).

The Personnel Committee considered an exempt report (Agenda Item 7) which sought approval for the abolition of the Market Supplement Policy from 01 April 2014. Officers reported that if approved no new market supplements would be paid after the 19 February 2013 and existing market supplement payments would cease on 31 March 2013.

RESOLVED that:

1. the proposal to abolish the Market Supplement Policy from 1st April 2014 be approved.
2. no new market supplements will be made after 19th February 2013.
3. all existing market supplement payments will cease on 31st March 2014.
4. all exiting posts affected by the scheme to be re-evaluated within two months of the decision.

Councillor Andrew Rowles requested that his vote against recommendation 3 being approved be recorded.