Agenda item

To consult Policy Development Panel on the policies prior to Full Council (report of the Head of HR & OD – PSPS enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Human Resources & Operational Development – (PSPS) which asked the members to provide feedback on the proposals to facilitate Phase 2 of the alignment of terms and conditions of employment across South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership Councils.

The Head of HR & OD (PSPS), presented the report and highlighted the following three policy amendments;

1. Car Loan Policy – to be replaced with a new partnership?wide policy:
2. Annual Leave (Time Off Policy) – Appendix amendment only; and
3. First Aid Payment Policy – Appendix amendment only.

The Head of HR & OD (PSPS) confirmed that all annual leave figures referenced were exclusive of statutory bank holidays, which would be added separately within the policy. Clarification was also provided regarding the forecast financial impacts; cost implications were included within the report. Formal consultation with staff and recognised unions were proposed, and therefore implementation would not occur until consultation and Council approval were complete.

Members considered the report and raised the following questions:

·         Members sought clarification on the forecast costs associated with the proposals.

o   The Head of HR & OD (PSPS) responded that the figures represented anticipated costs for South Holland, with any increases largely arising where operational services such as Waste Operations would require backfill to cover additional annual leave. For other services, additional annual leave was not expected to be a direct cost, as work would be picked up on return. The uplift to first aider payments was minor and aligned with the BBC model and was in line with NJC awards.

·         Members queried the wording of the Car Loan Policy regarding recovery through civil proceedings and asked whether the Council would recover associated costs as well as any outstanding balance and interest.

o   The Head of HR & OD (PSPS) advised that:

o   The Council would follow its standard debt?recovery process via Credit Control and the local courts, where costs were generally minor; any escalation to solicitors would be assessed on a case?by?case basis; and

o   The policy wording would be clarified to refer to ‘interest and associated costs’ and further noted that, where feasible, outstanding amounts would first be recovered from final salary, or otherwise by repayment plan, and that proportionality would be considered where recovery costs might outweigh the remaining debt.

·         Members asked that references to annual leave entitlements be made clear if excluding statutory bank holidays, and that this wording be applied consistently across the Time Off Policy appendix tables.

o   The Head of HR & OD (PSPS) confirmed that annual leave figures quoted excluded bank holidays and agreed to mirror the wording across both tables for consistency.

·         Members raised concerns that the proposed alignment of first aider allowances could lead to a disproportionate increase in the number of trained first aiders.

o   The Head of HR & OD (PSPS) explained that first aiders were nominated and coordinated by the Health and Safety Team, that numbers would be kept proportionate to operational need, and that an uncontrolled increase was not anticipated.

·         Members sought assurance that the new mobility clause in contracts would not remove entitlement to claim travel expenses when staff were required to work at alternative locations.

o   The Head of HR & OD (PSPS) confirmed that reasonable expenses were already provided for elsewhere in the contract, in line with the Council’s expenses policy. The extract presented to the Panel covered the mobility clause only; however, the suggestion to include a cross?reference to the expenses policy was noted.

AGREED:

That the Panel’s feedback on the proposals in the report to facilitate Phase 2 of alignment of terms and conditions of employment across the South & East Lincolnshire Council Partnership Councils, be noted.