Issue - meetings

To seek the Policy Development Panel’s views on the proposed HR Policies (Batch 1) prior to a report to Council (report of the Assistant Director – Corporate enclosed).

The Panel considered the report of the Assistant Director – Corporate to seek the Policy Development Panel’s views on the proposed HR policies (Batch 1) prior to a report to Council.

The Assistant Director – Corporate and the Organisational Development Service Manager were in attendance to present the report and answer member questions

The Assistant Director – Corporate introduced the report by stating that the review and alignment of HR Policies across the three S&ELCP authorities was in progress. Policy consistency would assist with the management of the workforce and support PSPS in the delivery of services.

The review had included engagement with:

• Unions, which had been supportive; and
• Key officers across the partnership (Internal Readers Panel) who had received the opportunity to comment on the operational practicalities of the policies.

Additional batches of policies would be presented to the Policy Development Panel for consideration over the next few meetings. The first batch of HR policies, to be considered at the 24 May 2022 Policy Development Panel meeting, included:

• the Disciplinary Policy;
• the Improving Performance at Work Policy; and
• the Grievance Policy.

Members considered the report and made the following comments:

• Members asked if the various appendices which had been referred to within the policies could be circulated.
  • The Organisational Development Service Manager would circulate the appendices after the meeting.

• Members asked whether guidance from the Local Government Association (LGA) had been sought / was available.
  • The Organisational Development Service Manager responded that the HR (PSPS) review had consulted a wide variety of sources, including:
    • the LGA;
    • other local authorities in the area; and
    • best practice from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS).

• Members referred to page 12 of the Disciplinary Policy and noted that section 8.3 had been excluded. A further reference had not been included.
  • The Organisational Development Service Manager would review the document to ensure all references were included.

• Members referred to the penultimate paragraph on page 4 of the Disciplinary Policy and asked whether Trade Union representatives were treated differently to other members of staff.
  • The Organisational Development Service Manager confirmed that the process was the same except for the additional step of informing the regional Trade Union representative prior to action being brought against a local Trade Union representative.

AGREED:

That the comments and feedback of the Panel be noted.