Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chair for the meeting.

RESOLVED:

                        That Councillor Willmott be appointed as Chair for the meeting.

No apologies were received.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed and/or indicate that Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

Members were asked to declare any interests they may have in the business on the agenda and/or declare that Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applied to them. No such declarations were made.

The Corporate Director of Resources submits a report which presents the Council's Single Status Framework Agreement for formal approval by the Committee subject to Cabinet’s approval at an earlier meeting of the necessary funding. The Employees Committee is recommended to approve the Single Status Framework Agreement and the changes to the terms and conditions contained within it.

The report is attached for Members of the Committee only. The report can be viewed at: http://www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.asp?CId=405&Year=2007&J=3 or by contacting Committee Services on 0116 229 8816.

Please note that the addendum to the report contains exempt information and will be circulated to Members only as soon as it is available. These papers will be marked 'NOT FOR PUBLICATION'. The information in these papers will be exempt as defined in paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended and it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. The information therefore must not be disclosed or discussed at the meeting. Should Members wish to refer to any of these details it is recommended that the meeting move into private session.

The Corporate Director of Resources submitted a report that presented the Council’s Single Status Framework Agreement for formal approval by the Committee.

Members asked for details of the comparison between Leicester and other nearby authorities which used the same Job Evaluation scheme. Officers stated that Nottingham was using it but had not completed evaluation as yet. However, it was stressed that the pay bands and salaries were not a product of the scheme and these were determined by the Council following a comprehensive market assessment. It was inevitable that a small number of positions would not equate with other authorities. It was anticipated that the number of jobs that currently were subject to market supplements would be significantly reduced under the new scheme. The ratio of those who were gaining and those losing was higher at Leicester than most other known comparable authorities.

Members acknowledged that the process had been very difficult and that the best had to be done within limited resources. Additional funding had been supplied recently to alleviate some of the issues. They asked for details of the next steps in the process, should the Committee be minded to approve the recommendation. Officers stated that if it was approved, confirmation letters would be sent at the end of January 2008 and details of the appeals process would be circulated, with appeals to commence in April 2008. This would be accompanied by an intensive communications campaign. Members stressed that it was important to have a robust and fair appeals process in place and that staff be given necessary time to prepare for, and take part in, their appeal. Officers confirmed that this would happen.

Members queried whether sickness absence would impact on incremental progression and officers stated that this could have an impact and would have to be managed appropriately. Members and officers also discussed the issue of allowances, acknowledging the difficulties that this had caused during consultation due to some allowances not being claimed.

Members stated that suggestions that the scheme was fundamentally flawed were unfounded as the equality impact assessment figures showed otherwise and inequality gaps had been narrowed significantly. It was regrettable that some people would lose out, but that individual instances of errors in the evaluation would be picked up by the appeals process. They expressed their sympathy with those who would be adversely affected.

RESOLVED:

That the Employees Committee approves the Single Status Framework Agreement and the changes to the terms and conditions contained within it.

The Chair agreed to admit to the agenda an item of urgent business; ‘Early Retirement’.  The report was urgent for the following reason:

“Confidential discussions have just been completed and it is essential to resolve the matter speedily to ensure the effective overall management of the Council.”

AGENDA

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO NOTE

Under the law, the Committee is entitled to consider certain items in private where in the circumstances the public interest in maintaining the matter exempt from publication outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. 

Members of the public will be asked to leave the meeting when such items are discussed.

The Committee is recommended to consider the following reports in private on the grounds that they contain ‘exempt’ information as defined by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, as amended and consequently that the Cabinet makes the following resolution:-

“that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following reports in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, because they involve the likely disclosure of 'exempt' information, as defined in the Paragraphs detailed below of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and taking all the circumstances into account, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the information as exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information ”

Paragraph 1

Information relating to any individual.

RESOLVED:-

that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following report in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, because it involves the likely disclosure of 'exempt' information, as defined in the Paragraph detailed below of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and taking all the circumstances into account, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the information as exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information ”

Paragraph 1

Information relating to any individual.

To consider a report of the Town Clerk.

The Chair agreed to consider the item below as urgent for the following reason:

“Confidential discussions have just been completed and it is essential to resolve the matter speedily to ensure the effective overall management of the Council.”

RESOLVED

(1)               That the early retirement of the Chief Executive in the interests of efficiency be certified for the reasons in the confidential report and minute.

(2)               That, for the reasons in the report and minute, an exception be made to the Council’s policy so as to augment the Chief Executive’s pensionable service by the amount in the terms circulated confidentially to the Committee.

(3)               That the Town Clerk be authorised to conclude the terms of the retirement based on those circulated to the Committee and his advice, including the suggested cap on legal costs and with power to vary the details.

The meeting closed at 4.26pm.