HR - 16th February 2021
Minutes of the Ruskington Parish Council HR Committee meeting held remotely on Tuesday 16 February 2021 via MS365 Teams
Present: Chairman Cllr White, Cllr Cunningham, Cllr Conway, Cllr Tonge, Cllr Ditch
Also present: Kathryn Locke (Clerk)
No members of the public were present.
The Chairman of the Committee opened the meeting at 11.25am
1. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
All members of the Committee were present.
2. To receive declarations of interest and to consider applications for dispensations in relation to DPIs.
None were declared at this time.
3. To approve as a correct record the notes of the last HR Committee meeting.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to accept the notes of the meeting held remotely on Monday 25 January 2021 as an accurate record and Minutes of the meeting. Proposed by Cllr Conway seconded by Cllr Cunningham and approved with 4 for and 1 abstention (not present at the last meeting.)
4. To receive an update on the online Equity and Diversity training for members of the HR Committee and interview panels.
Councillors Cunningham, White, Tonge, and Cotter were waiting for joining instructions from LALC to complete this online training.
Cllr Ditch asked about bullying and harassment awareness training. The clerk had not found this training available on the LALC website but had contacted LALC to ask if this training was a possibility.
5. To receive an update on proposed changes to employment legislation, as advised by LALC.
The Clerk provided a brief outline of proposed changes to employment legislation for 2021 as outlined in LALC’s e-news letter dated 25 January 2021, pp 5-6. This included:- an extension to redundancy protection, entitlement to one week’s leave for employees with caring responsibilities, making flexible working the default, and a single enforcement body for employment rights. Other proposals under review included changes to the Working Times Regulations 1988, and the Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) 2006 Regulations.
Regarding Council documents, the staff handbook referred to using the latest government guidelines available so did not require amending.
Action: For the HR Committee, Council and Clerk to be aware of changes to legislation and to update documents and contracts as required.
6. To consider the government guidelines on unused leave entitlement for year 2020/2021 for Council employees due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as advised by LALC (e-news 25 January 2021, pg. 4).
In accordance with the latest government guidance, employees could carry any untaken annual leave over to the following year. The Clerk advised that the Council permitted 2 days leave to be carried over to the following year and that the Clerk would have 4 days and the RFO 3.5 days leave entitlement left for year 2021/2022. All other employees would have taken their full leave entitlement for the year.
Action: The Committee unanimously RESOLVED that the Clerk and RFO could carry any unused annual leave over to financial year 2021/2022 without this going to Council for consideration.
7. To review the LALC training scheme for 2021/2022.
A report provided by the RFO had been circulated prior to the meeting. A saving of £72.50 had been made due to membership to the scheme.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend that the Council renew membership to the LALC Annual Training Scheme for year 2021/2022 at a cost of £168.00 including VAT.
8. To review the information issued to potential and new councillors. (Circulated prior to the meeting.
Action: The Committee recommended that the induction pack be renamed “Information for Councillors” and for this to be considered at the ordinary February meeting, once agreed amendments had been made. The latest Good Councillors Guide to be issued to prospective councillors. No changes were required to the co-option application form at this time.
9. Date for next committee meeting.
Monday 1 March 2021.
10. To resolve whether to exclude the public and press, in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, to discuss the following legal and staffing matters.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to exclude the public and press to discuss the matters below. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 11.57am, and as there were no members of the public or press present, re-opened the meeting at 11.57am.
11. To receive an update on the Settlement Agreement following the incident occurring on 25 November 2020.
This matter had been completed and the settlement and legal payments had been made.
12. To consider the vacancy for a caretaker following a review of the roles of caretaker, handyman and environment warden by the Environment Committee.
Cllr Conway advised of recommendations made by the Environment Committee at a meeting held on Thursday 11 February when the grass-cutting, the role of the Environment Warden and the role of the caretaker had been reviewed.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to consider the report and recommendations at the next HR meeting being held on 1 March 2021.