Archived decisions

AT A MEETING of the EMPLOYMENT IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEE held at The Castle, Winchester on 23 July 2008.

PRESENT:

Councillors:

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

112 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Baulk and Councillor Glen who was undertaking County Council business elsewhere.

113 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.

114 MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 17 April 2008 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

On Minute 106, Equal Pay Claims Update, the Director of Human Resources reported that the number of claims received now amounted to 1,069.

115 LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSION SCHEME - EMPLOYER DISCRETIONARY POLICIES

The Committee considered and approved the report of the County Treasurer and Director of Human Resources (Item 5 in the Minute Book) seeking approval to a policy which would reflect existing arrangements and not increase total membership of, or award additional pension to, active members of the scheme.

RESOLVED:

That the revised discretionary policy statement set out in Appendix A to the report of the County Treasurer and Director of Human Resources be approved.

116 EUROPEAN OFFICE

Councillor Perry, Executive Member for External Relations and Communications attended for this item.

The Committee considered the report of the County Treasurer (Item 8 in the Minute Book) reviewing the living allowance for European office staff. The staff in question were County Council employees, but operated under the auspices of Southern England Local Partners (SELP). The Committee supported the thrust of the report and considered that the annual review proposed should be based on the average fluctuation of the Euro against Sterling. Taking the employment arrangements and the role of SELP into account, it was

RESOLVED:

That the County Council as the employer recommends to SELP that the Brussels Office living allowance be adjusted up or down each year from April 2008 in line with the average annual movement of the Euro against Sterling, subject to the costs being financed by SELP.

117 INJURY ALLOWANCES UNDER PART V OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (DISCRETIONARY PAYMENTS) REGULATIONS 1996 - POLICY PAPER

The Committee considered and approved the report of the County Treasurer and Director of Human Resources (Item 6 in the Minute Book) recommending a scheme for adoption by the Committee on behalf of the County Council. In approving the proposal, the Committee asked that a list of payments made (without identifying individuals) be reported to the Committee annually.

RESOLVED:

a) That an injury allowance scheme be adopted based upon the table from the Firefighters Compensation Scheme and the percentage of disability assessed by the Department for Work and Pensions in respect of the payment of state benefits.

b) That,where the assessment of an injury allowance results in a nil or negative award, the County Treasurer and Director of Human Resources be authorised to award up to £500 per annum dependent upon the circumstances of the case.

118 DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SERVICES

The Committee considered and approved the report of the Chief Executive (Item7 in the Minute Book) concerning the review of corporate and central services which had been considered by the Cabinet on 21 July 2008. The Committee endorsed the action which had been taken and

RESOLVED:

That the Committee considers any relevant issues relating to terms, conditions and structures when the reviews are complete.

119 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 exempt information within Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, being information relating to the County Council's business or financial affairs which should not be disclosed for the reasons set out in the reports.

120 MARKET SUPPLEMENTS RELATING TO IT STAFF

The Committee considered and approved the exempt report of the Head of IT Services and the Director of Human Resources (Item 10 in the Minute Book) on the range of impacts of the review across the broad generic areas covered by the generic roles profiles. The Committee supported the proposals which would make savings within IT Services to be passed on to departments in order to reduce the associated impact on service budgets.

RESOLVED:

That the detailed proposals set out in paragraphs 2.1 and 2.2 of the report of the Head of IT Services and the Director of Human Resources be approved.

121 PAY AND BENEFITS PROJECT - INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE PLANNING (IPP)

The Committee considered the exempt report of the Director of Human Resources (Item 11 in the Minute Book) giving an update on the steps that had been taken and which should be considered during 2008 to ensure effective operation of IPP ahead of the planned link to pay progress in April 2009. The report also contained statistical information in relation to IPP results for 2008 and outlined other actions which now needed to be taken in relation to IPP.

The Committee noted the results of the IPP process for 2007/08 and endorsed the approach which was being taken in relation to the review of the current IPP arrangements.

122 PAY AND BENEFITS PROJECT - SUBSIDISED CAR LEASING SCHEME

The Committee considered and approved the exempt report of the Director of Human Resources and County Treasurer (Item 12 in the Minute Book) reviewing the operation of the County Council's subsidised car leasing scheme.

RESOLVED:

That the approach set out in paragraph 2 of the report of the Director of Human Resources and the County Treasurer be approved.

123 PAY ISSUES

With the concurrence of the Chairman, the Committee received the exempt report of the Chief Executive (Item 13 in the Minute Book) reporting on pay issues pursuant to the provisions of Minute 111 of the meeting of the Committee held on 17 April 2008.

DH 31.7.08