Minutes of an HR Committee meeting held remotely on Monday 26 April 2021 via MS365 Teams.

Present: Cllr Cunningham, Cllr Conway, Cllr Tonge, Cllr Ditch

Also, present Kathryn Locke (Clerk)

Apologies: Cllr K White

No members of the public were present.

As the Chairman of the Committee had resigned from the position and was unable to attend the meeting, the Chairman of the Council opened the meeting and presented the first item on the agenda.

The meeting opened at 10.31am.

1. Election of Chairman for the HR Committee, following the resignation from the post by Cllr White.

Cllr Cunningham nominated Cllr Ditch and Cllr Ditch was happy to accept.

Action: Councillor Ditch was elected as the Chairman of the HR Committee. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Tonge and approved unanimously.

Cllr Ditch then took the Chair.

2. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.

Cllr White was unable to attend the meeting and a valid reason for absence was known.

Action: The Council RESOLVED to accept Cllr White’s reason for absence. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.

3. To receive declarations of interest and to consider applications for dispensations in relation to DPIs.

Cllr Conway and Cllr Cunningham declared an interest in agenda item 7 as both were members of the library management committee.

4. To approve as a correct record the notes of the last HR Committee meeting held remotely on Monday 1 April 2021.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to accept the notes of the meeting as an accurate record and Minutes of the meeting. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.

5. To receive an update on a bodycam for use by the environment warden and agree any expenditure. (Information circulated prior to the meeting.)

NKDC operatives did not use bodycams due to the prohibitive legislation.  The Police advised they used the “Reveal” make of bodycams. Both the Police and Environment Enforcement Warden advised that the cameras could only be used in certain situations, could not be recording all the time, and must be used in compliance with the surveillance camera commission’s code of practice and other legislation.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council that there was currently no requirement for Council operatives to wear body cams. This would be reviewed once the rationalization of the workforce had been completed and a new operative employed. Following review of the legal literature, the use of a bodycam to be trialled for 3 months. Proposed by Cllr Conway, seconded by Cllr Cunningham and approved unanimously.

6. To resolve whether to exclude the public and press, in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, to discuss the following staffing matters.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to exclude the public and press to discuss the following staffing matters. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 10.47am. As no members of the public or press were present, the meeting re-opened at 10.47pm.

7. To consider the HR Consultant’s advice for the rationalization of the Council’s workforce and possible redundancy of one post. (Information circulated prior to the meeting.)

Actions: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to full Council that: -

A formal consultation with all staff be undertaken as soon as possible, with the possibility of a job share for the new role to be considered.

A performance review meeting with one operative to be carried out by Cllr Conway, Cllr Tonge, and the Clerk, with targets for improvement made clear.

The hours for the new post of Caretaker for Environment and Grounds be recruited on a 30 hour per week contract with a view to an increase to 37 hours per week if (or when) the proposed rationalisation exercise allows this to happen. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously.

8. To review the information for the recruitment of a caretaker for environment and grounds maintenance.

Actions: Following review, the Committee RESOLVED to recommend that: -

The job advert to be shortened for promotional purposes, with further details available on request.

The interview panel to consist of Cllr Conway as Chairman of the Environment Committee, Cllr Ditch as Chairman of the HR Committee, and the Clerk as the line-manager for the new operative.

The closing date for applications to be 1 June 2021. The interview date and venue to be agreed in line with Covid-19 restrictions at the time.

A temporary contract for a self-employed grounds-person to be advertised for 16 hour per week to undertake grass cutting, hedge trimming, planting, watering, weeding and maintenance of the Memorial Garden, allotments, and Horseshoe Hollow to be recommended to Council.

Proposed by Cllr Ditch, seconded by Cllr Cunningham and approved unanimously.

9. To review the Council’s employment of the library cleaner in view of independent HR advice. (Circulated prior to the meeting.)

Cllr Conway provided background information on the library, its previous connection to the Council and the cleaning arrangements. The cleaner currently cleans the library for one hour per week and is paid by the Council. The RFO then invoices the library who reimburses the wages and costs for any cleaning materials used. The Clerk advised that a meeting had taken place with an independent HR company, the Clerk and the RFO on Monday 19 April 2021. Cllr Conway had been invited to represent the library but had been unbale to attend. Currently, Ruskington Parish Council were responsible for the health and safety and employment issues for the cleaner whilst she was cleaning the library. The Clerk read out the recommended solutions provided and previously circulated.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council that the current arrangements continue until all documents and policies could be updated as required and for the Clerk to contact the HR Adviser used by LALC and ask for their advice.

10. To consider a contract with an external HR firm for all HR, employment, and health & safety matters. (Proposal circulated prior to the meeting.)

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council at the meeting on 27 April 2021 that a contract for HR advice was not needed and any advice could be sought from LALC, and their recommended HR Adviser as required.  

11. To consider a pay increase for the Clerk and RFO following their successful completion of the Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) qualification in April 2021.

Both employees’ contracts stated that a pay award of between one and four salary scale points would be made on successful completion of the CiLCA or other SLCC recognised qualification. An increase of one point would place each employee at the top of their agreed pay bands with no allowance for further incremental pay rises in the future.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council at the meeting on 27 April 2021 that the Clerk and RFO both move up one salary scale point but the substantive boundary for both posts be removed. [The Clerk would move onto pay point 28 and the RFO onto pay point 22.] This would allow the possibility for the Clerk to move up 5 incremental points and the RFO 10 incremental points over the following years.

12. Agree the date of the next HR Committee meeting.

To be confirmed.