Agenda and minutes

To receive declarations by Councillors of interests in respect of items on this Agenda.

Councillors are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting).  

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Councillors should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting.  

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Councillors are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

Councillor Wood declared his interest as an employee and member of UNISON and as a member of Unite the Union, these interests being publicly declared. He also declared that his wife is a member of UNISON, Unite the Union and GMB.

Councillor Hart declared an interest as a member of Morecambe Town Council. 

To receive as a correct record the Minutes of meeting held on 10^th October 2024 (previously circulated). 

The minutes of the meeting held on 10^th October 2024 were approved as a correct record. 

There were no items of urgent business. 

It was noted that this was the last meeting that Laura Collins, HR Policy and Strategy Lead, would be attending prior to leaving the Council.  At this point the Chair expressed his thanks to the HR Policy and Strategy Lead for the huge amount of work undertaken by her and other Officers. 

Report of Organisational Development Manager. 

The Organisational Development Manager presented the proposed Recruitment and Retention Strategy for the Committee to consider and agree implementation. 

The report informed of the background, the picture at the City Council, Strategy development and Implementation. 

The Committee was asked to consider the Recruitment and Retention Strategy, make any relevant comments and suggestions on the content, and agree implementation. 

It was moved by Councillor Professor Chris Harris, seconded by Councillor Jason Wood and unanimously resolved as follows. 

Resolved: -

That the new Recruitment and Retention Strategy, as detailed in and appended to the report, be approved. 

Report of Organisational Development Manager. 

The Organisational Development Managerprovided an update to the Committee on the status of the development of an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. 

The report informed of work to date, the main findings from the report, next steps and Policy, in particular, the Equality and Diversity Policy is being reviewed as part of the ongoing HR policy review. 

In conclusion it was recommend that this update be accepted and feedback was invited. 

It was moved by Councillor Professor Chris Harris, seconded by Councillor Jason Wood and unanimously resolved as follows. 

Resolved: -

That the update on the development of the EDI Strategy is noted. 

Report of the HR Policy and Strategy Lead. 

The HR Policy and Strategy Lead submitted a report that enabled the Committee to consider and approve the introduction of revised HR Policies which fall into the category of Volunteering, Dignity, Equity and Inclusion, Honoraria and Acting Up which require updating. The review also includes the introduction of two new policies: Sexual Harassment and Secondments. 

Comments and amendments following the meeting of JCC on 14^th November 2024 were set out in the report. 

The policy tracker, appended to the report, advised of further information on the changes to be reviewed.  For these policies these were:

HR Policy Amendments Tracker

Reportofthe Senior Corporate Health and Safety Manager. 

The Senior Corporate Health and Safety Manager submitted a report that enabled the Committee to consider and approve a range of amendments and additions to existing policies and procedures.  These were:

·          SG08 Confined Spaces Policy

·          SG20 Working in Public Areas Policy

·          SG14 First Aid at Work Policy

·          SG15 Infection Control Policy

No comments or feedback have been received by the City Council’s internal Health and Safety working party or the Trade Union Working Party. No further questions or comments were raised by the Joint Consultative Committee on 14^th November 2024.

When considering SG14 - First Aid at Work Policy Members requested that the HR Policy regarding both physical and mental health first aiders be considered at the Committee’s next scheduled meeting. 

It was moved by Professor Chris Harris, seconded by Councillor Jason Wood and unanimously resolved as follows. 

Resolved: -

(1)        That Health and Safety SG08 Confined Spaces Policy,SG20 Working in Public Areas Policy, SG14 First Aid at Work Policy and SG15 Infection Control Policy, appended to the report, be approved. 

(2)        That consideration is given to whether a first aid allowance should be payable, and a briefing note is circulated accordingly to People and Organisational Development Committee to include current distribution of first aiders across the Council.