Agenda and minutes
PDF 181 KBVenue: Ashcombe Suite, County Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2DN
Contact: Helen Rankin or Lucy Collier
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Minutes: Apologies were received from the Cabinet Member for Business Services and Resident Experience, Denise Le Gal.
Apologies were also noted from Dr Zully Grant-Duff, who arrived just after 10am
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING: 10 SEPTEMBER AND 1 OCTOBER
To agree the minutes as a true record of the meeting. (October minutes to follow) Minutes:
The minutes of the previous meeting were a true record of the meeting, subject to the following amendments:
10 September 2015: David Ivison had a number of queries about the minutes and would raise this outside of the meetings with officers.
1 October 2015: At the previous meeting a question had been put to the Chief Property Officer regarding whether land purchases carried out by a Surrey County Council Local Authority Trading Company needed to satisfy the “well-being requirement”. This point would be added to the minutes of 1 October and raised with the Chief Property Officer.
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.
Notes: · In line with the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012, declarations may relate to the interest of the member, or the member’s spouse or civil partner, or a person with whom the member is living as husband or wife, or a person with whom the member is living as if they were civil partners and the member is aware they have the interest. · Members need only disclose interests not currently listed on the Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests. · Members must notify the Monitoring Officer of any interests disclosed at the meeting so they may be added to the Register. · Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest. Minutes: There were none. |
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QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
To receive any questions or petitions.
Notes: 1. The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00pm four working days before the meeting (state actual deadline). 2. The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting (state actual deadline). 3. The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the meeting, and no petitions have been received. Minutes: There were no questions or petitions. |
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RESPONSES FROM THE CABINET TO ISSUES REFERRED BY THE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
Responses have been received on the following Items and are included in Item 5.
- Airport policy - Orbis business plan Additional documents: Minutes: There were two responses that had been included in the agenda papers. :
The Chairman of the Council Overview Board had attended the Cabinet meeting and noted the responses. He explained that the response stated that the Overview Board was “satisfied with the Council’s current policy position on airports”. However, he advised that it had been made clear to the Deputy Leader that the Board felt the Council should state explicitly that it felt the Council should change its policy to favour an additional runway at one of the shortlisted South East airports.
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CHAIRMAN'S UPDATE
Minutes:
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RECOMMENDATIONS TRACKER AND FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME
The Board is asked to review its Recommendations Tracker and Forward Work Programme,
Additional documents: Minutes: Key Points raised during the discussion:
The Board noted the Recommendations Tracker and Forward Work Programme.
Further action/information to be provided: None
Recommendations: That Cyber Security and IMT, and the Leadership Risk Register be added to future Council Overview Board work progammes.
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THE HUMAN RESOURCES AND ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICE
Purpose of Item To set out the main services which HR & OD currently provides to the council, its managers and workforce, to enable members to focus on future areas they would wish to scrutinise in more depth.
Additional documents: Minutes: Declarations of interest: None.
Witnesses:
Carmel Millar, Director of People & Development Ken Akers, HR Relationship Manager (Adults) Rakhi Saigal, Strategic HR Manager
Managers with experience of restorative practice in the workplace:
Amy Howard (Adult Social Care) David Sharpington (Environment & Infrastructure) Lorraine Juniper (IMT, Business Services)
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. The Director of People & Development introduced the report and explained that a key aim of the HR&OD service was to look after the interests of managers, staff and the workforce. By doing so, the organisation would have a happy, skilled workforce who give a great service to Surrey’s residents.
2. Members questioned what the current issues being faced by Human Resources at Surrey could be described as. Recruitment and retention were highlighted as areas to be focused on. Certain services within the organisation had more difficulty recruiting – for example social care, procurement and chartered surveyors. Members were informed that a Surrey Social Worker academy had been introduced, as well intensive recruitment campaigns in Children’s Services to deal with shortages in the social care workforce.
3. Officers explained that the HR&OD service had recently refreshed their lone working policy, following an increasing national trend in physical and verbal abuse against public sector workers. There was a clear no tolerance policy on violence, meaning that officers should never accept abuse as ‘part of their job’. A number of refreshed policies were referenced, and it was agreed that it would be helpful to receive a briefing note once the current period of policy-review had been undertaken.
4. Members queried methods of retaining staff. The Director of People and Development explained the importance of understanding why employees were leaving the organisation, and advised that exit interviews were always undertaken. There was also a Best Companies Staff Survey being completed by staff at the moment, which would help understand what makes employees want to stay with Surrey County Council. It was explained that exit interviews suggested the top reasons for officers leaving the organisation were salary related, exceeding full potential within current role and seeking different opportunities.
5. The Board understood and stressed the importance of staff recognition, and ensuring staff feel valued and supported within their role. They saw the importance of appraisal in recognising staff potential.
6. Members noted that at peak periods, there were large numbers of vacancies across the Council. These periods of demand were sometimes addressed by employing agency workers. This was particularly the case in services such as Highways and Children’s Services due to periods of demand and the urgency of their work. Agency working would be considered in more detail in the next item on the agenda.
7. The Senior Manager (Adult Social Care) explained to the Board, the current challenges she faced regarding staff retention, demand and vacancies. To tackle the challenges, teams were visiting different colleges and advertising roles locally to attract new talent.
8. The Strategic HR Manager informed the Board that since 2013, HR&OD had led ... view the full minutes text for item 54/15 |
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Purpose of the Report
This report provides for scrutiny of agency worker arrangements and spend.
The report highlights for the Board’s consideration the service areas where there is highest spend on agency workers and the reasons for using agency workers to meet staffing demands in these areas. Also included is information on new agency supply arrangements that are being established following retender of the service. Minutes: Declarations of interest: None.
Witnesses: Carmel Millar, Head of HR&OD Ken Akers, Strategic HR Manager Indiana Pearce, Contract Manager
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. The report was introduced by the Strategic HR Manager, who summarised the usage of agency worker’s at Surrey County Council. He explained that agency workers were a key part of the evolving workforce, who could bring skills and expertise needed for short term vacancies.
2. It was stated that often one of the main aims when working with agency workers was to ultimately reduce turnover, by encouraging staff to become permanent. It was stated that agency work or bank contracts could be an attractive option as working hours were often flexible. Bank staff, on zero hour contracts were kept in a “pool” where they could be called upon by managers during times of short term demand.
3. It was highlighted that some agency staff had worked at Surrey County Council for five years or more. Some Members of the Board felt that long term use of agency staff could be demoralising and de-motivating to those employees, as they would not receive the same benefits that permanent staff received.
4. Members queried the true costs of appointing agency staff instead of permanent or fixed term contracts. They asked for further information about how agency staff salaries compared to those in a permanent positions.
5. The Chairman of the Economic Prosperity, Environment & Highways Scrutiny Board raised particular concerns about the use of agency staff in the Highways Service to fill vacancies following a number of reorganisations. Staff had provided anecdotal feedback that frequent changes in personnel led to a level of disruption and decreased morale. The Board stressed the importance of evolutionary change programmes and continuous improvement to avoid the need for frequent whole-scale restructures. It was agreed that the Board would make a recommendation to Cabinet, which is detailed at the end of this minute.
6. One Member stated that the organisation as a whole were not “anti agency workers”, however it was concerning when whole teams were made up of agency staff. The Strategic HR Manager stated that with better workforce planning in the future, it was aimed that employees would receive stability and reassurance in their jobs.
7. There was a discussion regarding the national shortage of qualified and experienced child protection social workers and educational psychologists. It was noted that educational psychologists remain a small but essential part of the agency work force There was also a recruitment campaign underway to recruit up to 15 new Social Care managers.
8. The Director of People and Development stated they are constantly looking at new strategies to improve the Human Resources team and are very pleased with the progress they have made in the last five years.
Actions/Further Information to be provided: |
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EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC
That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information under the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.
Minutes: That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information under the relevant paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.
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IN PRIVATE PART 2
Minutes: It was decided by the Board that this item would be postponed until the next Council Overview Board meeting due to timing.
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PAY AND REWARD CONSULTATION
Minutes: It was decided by the Board that this item would be postponed until the next Council Overview Board meeting.
At the close of the meeting, the Chairman thanked the Director of People & Development for her contribution, as it was her last meeting before retirement.
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PUBLICITY FOR PART 2 ITEMS
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DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next Council Overview Board will be held on Wednesday 2 December 2015 at 10.00am.
Minutes: 2 December 2015.
Meeting ended at: 12.33pm |