Archived decisions

AT A MEETING of the EMPLOYMENT IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEE held at The Castle, Winchester on 17 April 2008.

PRESENT:

Councillors:

p T.K.Thornber, CBE (Chairman);

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

102 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Gill.

103 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or 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 save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with paragraph 12 of the Code.

104 MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 11 February 2008 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

105 DELIVERY OF THE NEW PAY FRAMEWORK INTO PAY

On Minute 98 the Committee were pleased to hear from the County Treasurer and Director of Human Resources that the level of errors and queries arising from implementation of the new pay framework in February 2008 had been minimal.

106 EQUAL PAY CLAIMS UPDATE

On Minute 100 the Director of Human Resources reported an increase in the number of claims and that a further increase was anticipated by the end of April 2008. Slow progress was being made by the Employment Tribunal.

107 LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSION SCHEME - AMENDMENT TO EARLY RETIREMENT POLICY FOR NON-TEACHING STAFF

The Committee considered and approved the report of the County Treasurer and Director of Human Resources (Item 5 in the Minute Book) proposing, for clarification, revisions to the wording for Policy (c) and Policy (d) of the Early Retirement Policy for Non-Teaching Staff.

RESOLVED:

That Policy (c) of the County Council's Early Retirement Policy for Non-Teaching Staff be revised as follows:

(c) Total lump sum compensation for employment terminated on the grounds of redundancy will not exceed the value of the redundancy payment. The option to use additional lump sum compensation of up to 104 weeks pay will not be used.


(d) Augmentation can be awarded as an alternative to the lump sum compensation above the value of the statutory redundancy payment.

108 LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSION SCHEME - EMPLOYER DISCRETIONARY POLICIES

The Committee considered and approved the report of the County Treasurer and Director of Human Resources (Item 6 in the Minute Book) reviewing the County Council's discretionary policies with regard to the exercise of their functions in the Local Government Pension Scheme.

RESOLVED:

(a) That, in order to comply with the new Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations:


(a) The Director of Human Resources and County Treasurer draft a policy for the next meeting of the Employment in Hampshire County Council Committee on whether, and in what circumstances, to award additional membership years to active members;


(b) The Director of Human Resources and County Treasurer draft a policy for the next meeting of the Employment in Hampshire County Council Committee on whether, and in what circumstances, to award additional pension to active members;


(c) That the changes to the Regulations regarding flexible retirement be noted and that a report be submitted to a future meeting on partial flexible retirement when the details are available from the Department for Communities and Local Government;


(d) That the updated flexible and early retirement policies reflecting the change to the earliest age a pension can be paid be approved;


(e) That the employee contribution rate banding assignment and assessment policy be approved.

109 ADMITTED BODY STATUS - DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT(DCLG) CONSULTATION RESPONSE

The Committee considered and approved the report of the County Treasurer and Director of Human Resources (Item 7 in the Minute Book) proposing a response to the DCLG's consultation on admitted body status provisions. The thrust of the proposed response was to minimise risk to the Pension Fund and the risks for those staff who transfer away from it.

RESOLVED:

That the consultation response set out in Appendix A to the report of the County Treasurer and Director of Human Resources be approved.

110 EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

RESOLVED:

That the press and 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 there would be disclosure to them of confidential information within Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, being information relating to individuals.

111 PAY ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE CORPORATE MANAGEMENT TEAM

Pursuant to Minute 101 of the previous meeting, the Committee considered the confidential report of the Chief Executive (Item 9 in the Minute Book). The Committee noted that in paragraph 2.2 the word "Assistant" should be replaced with the word "Deputy". The Committee took into account the outcome of the evaluation requested at its previous meeting and supported the approach proposed by the Chief Executive. The Committee also asked the Chief Executive to report to a future meeting on the movement of Chief Officer pay in recent years and related circumstances.

RESOLVED:

That the pay arrangements set out in the report of the Chief Executive be approved with effect from 11 February 2008, as agreed at the previous meeting

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