Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:

            That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 14 January 2019, less exempt minute, be approved and adopted.

The Committee noted that the Report had not been notified for inclusion on the agenda within the statutory deadline.  The Chairman agreed to accept the item onto the agenda as a matter requiring urgent consideration to enable consideration of the item at this meeting.

Councillor Godfrey introduced the Report.

Members asked questions on the information presented and the officers’ responses given are summarised below:

              i.                A Member commented on the gender pay gap and comparisons made in 2017/18 with the national average; those of other public sector bodies and other Councils.  It was stated that the pay gap had increased.

The Head of Human Resources (Interim) replied that the Council was driven by the need to publish figures on 31 March 2018 and the gap had narrowed after that date with a number of female appointments to senior positions in the Council.  The Strategic Director: Resources added that Winchester’s position was better than the national average but that further improvement could be made.  Councillor Godfrey commented that the method of measurement could also be improved upon as it did not look at comparators within scales, between full time and part time staff and types of role undertaken, which were generally equal at Winchester.

A Member suggested that further information for Members with a gender pay comparison within quartiles would ease understanding going forward.

The Strategic Director: Resources added that an external website provided details on gender pay and guidance on fulltime equivalent pay.  The City Council was near average for all organisations that had reported to date and a further update would be made at the next Personnel Committee meeting when all organisations had reported.

            ii.                The Council was proactive in managing sickness.  Although the figures for sickness had increased, the Human Resources Department was working with Occupational Health and Departmental Managers to address issues.  There was good liaison with the Health at Work Group and with Unison.  Mental health was a priority within the Council’s Wellbeing Strategy, and the Head of Human Resources (Interim) had recently qualified to be a Mental Health First Aider.

           iii.                A Member commented on the 15 per cent level of staff turnover.  The Strategic Director: Resources stated that the figure was acceptable as turnover of staff could be viewed as a positive and the turnover figure was also beginning to fall. 

A Member commented that a running total on staff turnover would be beneficial to Members in order to identify trends.

           iv.                Staff briefings were held quarterly.

RESOLVED:

1.            That the Quarter 3 2018/19 Performance Monitoring figures for Organisational Development be noted.

2.            That no items of significance be drawn to the attention of the Portfolio Holder or Cabinet arising from the Performance Information.

To consider whether in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

i)          To pass a resolution that the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business because it is likely that, if members of the public were present, there would be disclosure to them of ‘exempt information’ as defined by Section 100 (I) and Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED:

1.         That in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

2.       That the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business because it is likely that, if members of the public were present, there would be disclosure to them of ‘exempt information’ as defined by Section 100I and Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED:

            That the exempt minute of the previous meeting held on 14 January 2019 be approved and adopted.