At a meeting of the EMPLOYMENT in HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEE HELD at THE CASTLE, WINCHESTER on WEDNESDAY

20 SEPTEMBER 2006

Present:

Councillors:

Councillor J. K Glen, Executive Member for Human Resources, attended with the agreement of the Chairman.

47. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R. J.Baulk and A. P. Collett.

48. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should normally, at the time of the debate, declare their interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed.

49. MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 17 July 2006 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

50. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

There were no communications from the Chairman.

51. DEPUTATIONS

There were no deputations.

52. EARLY RETIREMENT POLICIES FOR NON-TEACHING STAFF

The Committee considered the report of the County Treasurer and Director of Human Resources (Item 6 in the Minute Book) recommending revised policy statements and procedures in the light of recent and proposed changes to the Local Government Pensions Scheme. The Committee supported the recommendations and noted that a report would be brought to a future meeting concerning criteria for a flexible retirement policy.

RESOLVED:

a) that the revised discretionary pension policy statement attached as Appendix 1 to the report be approved for publication;

b) that the County Treasurer be authorised to recover the employee contributions that were waived during contribution holidays.

53. EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

RESOLVED:

That the public be excluded from the meeting as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during the following items there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, and further that, in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the County Council as holders of that information) for the reasons set out in the reports.

54. UPDATE ON THE PAY AND BENEFITS PROJECT

The Committee considered the exempt report of the Director of Human Resources (Item 8 in the Minute Book) and agreed the proposals set out in the report.

RESOLVED:

a) that the indicative costs of concluding the Pay and Benefits Project and the expected cost of managing implementation, as reported, be agreed;

b) that it be noted that a decision will be required as part of the budget on the degree to which some of the costs referred to in (a) above can be financed.

55. REVIEW OF SENIOR MANAGEMENT PAY

The Committee began a discussion with the Chief Executive concerning a number of issues for consideration in relation to the development of more flexible pay arrangements to assist the County Council's recruitment and retention or to respond to exceptional circumstances should they arise in respect of the County Council's complement of posts at HMG:B/C. The Committee considered that further work should be done to develop a policy which would then act as a framework to assist members and chief officers to manage individual situations as they arose. An additional meeting of the Committee would be convened to consider the matter further.