Location: Shimkent Room, Daneshill House
Present: Employer Side: Councillors K. Vale (Employer Side Chair in the Chair), R.A. Clark, R.G. Parker (from 6.20pm) and S. Taylor. Staff Side: Roland Ayles - DES Admin & Direct Services - Street Cleansing DSO (UNISON), Jim Brown - DCS Community Development (UNISON), Pam Chapman - DCS Housing Services (UNISON), Courtney Giles - DCS Community Development (UNISON), Peter Terry - DES Architects & Property Services (UNISON).
Others: Bill Welch - Assistant Chief Executive, Diane Rodgers - Principal Personnel Officer and Diane Scott - Principal Personnel Officer (as advisers to the Employer Side) and Ian Gourlay (Committee Administrator).
Duration:
Start Time: 6.00pm
End Time: 6.57pm
Status: Noted
Business: Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Darron Nicholson (T&GWU) and Gary Palmer (AMICUS/UCATT). There were no declarations of interest.
Decision:
Status: Agreed
Business:
Decision: It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 3rd November 2003, having been circulated, be taken as read, confirmed and signed by the Employer Side Chair as a correct record.
Status: Noted
Business: MINUTE 7 - NJC PAY 2004/05
The Staff Side Chair commented that, notwithstanding the consideration of this matter at the last meeting, the Staff Side was disappointed that the Council had budgeted for only a 2.5% Pay Award for 2004/05.
The Employer Side Chair advised that the Employer Side would be meeting with the Regional Employers in the next few weeks to discuss the Pay Award, and it was noted that financial provision for the Award was subject to approval of the Budget by the meeting of Full Council scheduled for 25th February 2004.
Decision:
Status: Noted
Business: The Staff Side Secretary referred to the review of the Play Service carried out in late 2003 and the consultant's report on this matter. Page 6 of the consultant's report contained a list of those consulted, which included Members, Senior Officers and Play Section Staff. The Staff Side Secretary advised that Play Section Staff had not been consulted, and only one of them had had a brief discussion with the consultant on the Review.
The Staff Side Secretary continued by commenting that there had been no consultation on the Review with service users and other stakeholders. In its comments to the Executive, the Staff Side had requested the Executive to note the consultant's report and carry out consultation with service users and other stakeholders. The Staff Side considered that the report was flawed in that it was contrary to the Council's consultation policy, which stated that decisions would be informed by the views of the community. The Staff Side Secretary asked for the reason as to why the Executive had made its decision without consultation with service users.
A member of the Employer Side was of the view that it was clear from the report considered by the Executive that the proposals had been formulated using a different method of consultation for delivery of the Play Service and that the 3 play buildings scheduled for closure all had serious problems. The Review had not been purely a cost cutting exercise, as the Executive believed that the consultation processes now in place were better for service users, evidenced by the fact that a Youth Consultation Group would be set up for this purpose, and as the new arrangements overall would provide an improved service.
The Staff Side was supportive of the idea of a Youth Consultation Group, but was not convinced that the outcome of the Review would result in an improved Service, as the establishment of the Section had been reduced by 50%, with an expectation that the same play programme would operate throughout the year, including the busy summer months.
The Employer Side remained convinced that the outcome of the Review would result in a better service, with improved consultation processes. As part of an on-going review of its services, the Council would be looking at ways of improving service delivery across the board.
Councillor R.G. Parker stated that he had voted against the recommendations regarding the Play Service Review at the Executive meeting held on 10th December 2003, as he was unhappy with the manner in which the Review had been conducted. However, he was supportive of the need for changes to the Service.
The Staff Side Secretary concluded by commenting that the Staff Side would be extremely concerned if the Council carried out any further service reviews without full consultation with service users/stakeholders.
Decision:
Status: Noted
Business: The Staff Side Secretary referred to a meeting of the Joint Staff and Joint Works Sub-Committees held in 1997, at which it had been agreed that the Trades Unions would be provided with reports for all Council Committees and Sub-Committees.
The Staff Side Secretary stated that this had not happened regarding the report on the Play Service Review, which had been considered by the meeting of the Resources and Corporate Review Panel held on 10th November 2003. The Staff Side was provided with a copy of the report to be considered by the Performance, Priorities and Improvement Group on 18th November 2003, but was not given an opportunity to make representations to this body. It was only when the report was due to be considered by the Executive on 10th December 2003 that the Staff Side was afforded the opportunity to comment on the matter. The Staff Side Secretary understood that reports would be disclosed to the Unions in all circumstances, unless for some specified reason not to, for example if they compromised the Council in the course of negotiations. He considered that the Play Review report did not compromise the Council in such a way, and asked for the specific reason as to why it had not been disclosed to the Trades Unions at an earlier stage.
The Assistant Chief Executive referred to a letter he had written to the Staff Side Secretary on this matter in December 2003. He clarified that the resolution agreed by the Joint Staff/Joint Works Sub-Committee in 1997 was 'that the Trades Unions will be able to receive copies of all reports .... except for those that deal with the Council's strategy for dealing with Trades Unions, and those which for some other specified reason could not be provided'.
The Staff Side Secretary replied that the Staff Side was aware of this, and again asked for the 'other specified reason' as to why the Unions had not been provided with the Play Review report prior to its submission to the Resources and Corporate Management Review Panel. The Employer Side undertook to respond in writing to the Staff Side Secretary on this issue.
In relation to consultation on the Executive's decisions, the Staff Side Secretary stated that the agreed consultation procedures allowed for consultation with the Staff Side on such decisions, including the opportunity to refer the matter back to councillors if the matter could not be resolved at officer level, but that this had not happened in the case of the decision on the Play Review.
The Assistant Chief Executive replied that the Executive had considered the points made by UNISON prior to agreeing the recommendations in the Play Review report, those recommendations being subject to discussions with staff and appropriate Trades Unions. He added that if the Staff Side had any further comments about the actual decision then they should have been made in the course of discussions with officers.
Decision:
Status: Noted
Business: The Staff Side Secretary referred to this matter raised with COB in October 2003 concerning cases of employees being redeployed into lower graded jobs due to industrial injury, bullying or harassment, and commented that the Council had no pay protection policy for such employees. The Staff Side referred to one specific case where this had happened since last October and requested that the employee's pay be re-instated and protected.
It was noted that the Acting Head of Personnel Services was investigating this matter and that Staff Side would be informed of progress.
Decision:
Status: Noted
Business: There were no items of urgent business.
Decision:
Status: Noted
Business: Both Sides agreed that the next meeting of the Committee would take place at 6.00pm on Wednesday, 3rd March 2004.
Decision: