Agenda and minutes

In the absence of Councillor Toby Neal, the meeting was chaired by Councillor Alan Clark.

None.

Last meeting held on 25 February 2014 (for confirmation)

The Committee confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2014 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.

Daljit Singh Nijran introduced a report of the Strategic Director of Organisational Transformation.  The report:

•  set out Nottingham's 2013 average rolling 12 month absence level of 10.63 days within the wider context of those of other Core City members;

•  provided an overview of the consultative approach being used to deliver service improvements at the City Council;

•  recommended a number of initiatives to be adopted in the short (0 - 3 months), medium (3 - 6 months) and longer (6 - 12 months) terms, to move the City Council further towards the Core Cities' group average absence level of 9.75 days per year.

Implementation costs will be financed through the Workforce Issues Reserve and the outcomes of the review of the Employee Well-Being Team from additional external income generated through targeted intervention.  The views of trades union partners - Unison, Unite and the GMB on the proposals were reported.

Councillors supported the further measures outlined in the report and asked that, in the comparison with other Core City group members, the position is clarified where/which services had been outsourced to private sector providers.

RESOLVED

(1)  to endorse the short, medium and long-term strategic and operational interventions contained within the report to reduce sickness absence and improve employee accountability;

(2)  to note the target reduction in sickness absence for 2014-16, to bring the City Council in line with core Cities' average of 9.754 time equivalent days by the end of year one and a further day reduction to 8.75 full-time equivalent days by the end of 2016;

(3)  to note that a further report, detailing progress, will be brought to the Committee meeting scheduled for 2 December 2014.

To agree to convene an additional meeting of the Committee at 10.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 22 April 2014

The Committee's views were sought on holding an additional meeting at 10.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 22 April 2014, to discuss the Chief Executive's further proposals for Citizens at the Heart - a new operating model Phase 2.

Councillors were content with the proposal. However, due to demands placed on colleagues in Children and Adults as a result of the recent Ofsted inspection of the City Council the staff consultation phase for the Childrens Service Area  may not have concluded by 22 April and, in that event, it would be necessary to consider a form of separate delegated approval for any changes affecting this element after any revised consultation deadline but in advance of the next ordinary meeting of the Committee scheduled for June.2014.

RESOLVED to meet again at 10.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 22 April 2014.

The Committee decided to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining agenda item in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information, as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

The Committee confirmed the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2014 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.