Agenda and decisions

This is where Councillors who are attending as substitutes will say for whom they are attending.

Apologies for absence noted on behalf of Councillors David Hall, Peter McBride and Nicola Turner

Cllr Andrew Marchington substituted for Cllr Nicola Turner. 

Cllr David Sheard was late arriving at today’s meeting. Therefore, Cllr Jean Calvert took the chair for items 1-6.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 22 September 2015.

The Minutes of the Personnel Committee meeting on 22 September 2015 were approved.

The Councillors will be asked to say if there are any items on the Agenda in which they have disclosable pecuniary interests, which would prevent them from participating in any discussion of the items or participating in any vote upon the items, or any other interests.

No interests were declared.

Most debates take place in public. This only changes when there is a need to consider certain issues, for instance, commercially sensitive information or details concerning an individual. You will be told at this point whether there are any items on the Agenda which are to be discussed in private.

Members resolved to consider items 9 and 10 in private session, as they contain exempt information. The details and reasons are set out at the start of each item. 

The Committee will receive any petitions and hear any deputations from members of the public.

A deputation is where up to five people can attend the meeting and make a presentation on some particular issue of concern. A member of the public can also hand in a petition at the meeting but that petition should relate to something on which the body has powers and responsibilities.

No deputations or petitions were received.

The Committee will hear any questions from the general public.

No questions were submitted.

To receive a verbal update, following the report to the Personnel Committee on 22 September 2015, on an opportunity to develop the councils work with the North Kirklees Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

Officer: Richard Parry: 01484 221000

Members of the Personnel Committee resolved to note this progress report.

To resolve that under Section 100(A)(4) 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 as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

The Personnel Committee agreed to exclude the public at this point, to consider items 9 and 10 in private session.

To receive an update on developments in the period since the Personnel Committee on 22 September 2015.

Officer: Adrian Lythgo: 01484 221000

Members of the Personnel Committee resolved:-

(1) To approve the Chief Executive’s recommendation to create the designation and role of Deputy Chief Executive, as a role rather than a post.

(2) To acknowledge that the role description should not impact significantly on the job descriptions of other Directors or the Chief Executive but should focus on exercising the executive authority of the Chief Executive in agreed circumstances. It was also agreed that the role should not be remunerated in addition to the existing salary of the Director appointed to the role.

(3) That all Directors should be invited to consider applying for the role by setting out what they believe they would gain from holding the role and how they could most effectively carry it out in support of the Chief Executive and the Council. The Chief Executive will also speak to the new Director of Children’s Services about the proposal described within today’s report.

(4) That a councillor interview panel, based on a membership and ratio of 2.1.1, should be established to consider expressions of interest and to conduct interviews.

(5) That the Chief Executive be asked to review the success of these arrangements by March 2017.

To receive an update concerning consultations and negotiations with trade unions on human resources and industrial relations issues.

Officer: Rosemary Gibson; 01484 221000

Members of the Personnel Committee resolved that:-

(1) Officers to pursue the following issues in order to provide a report back to the Personnel Committee in March 2016:-

- The costs and time involved in providing “time off” for trade union representatives to undertake their duties, and recommendations on what is appropriate and legitimate for 2016/17

- Information on the ratio(s) which the trade unions are using to provide representation for their trade union memberships in Kirklees, and recommendations on what the appropriate ratio(s) should be for 2016/17

- The management support for those council employees who are trade union representatives in Kirklees in 2016/17, where this involves all of their contractual hours

(2) Communications between the management side (councillors and officers) and representatives of the trade unions will involve the use of e-mail from 1 February 2016.