Agenda for Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee on Tuesday, 4th July, 2017, 2.00 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: LB 32 - Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3NG. View directions

Contact: Noel McMenamin  Email: noel.mcmenamin@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

7.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Councillor Eunice Campbell  -  other Council business

Councillor Jon Collins  -  other Council business

Councillor Georgina Culley  -  unwell

Councillor Dave Trimble   -  other Council business

8.

DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS

Minutes:

None.

9.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 105 KB

Last meeting held on 13 June 2017 (for confirmation)

Minutes:

The minute of the meeting held on 13 June 2017 were agreed as a true record and they were signed by the Chair.

10.

Apprenticeship Terms and Conditions pdf icon PDF 137 KB

Report of Corporate Director, Strategy and Resources

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Emma Hodgett, Reward and Resourcing Manager and Josie Guynan, Reward and Resourcing Consultant introduced the report to the Committee. During discussion a number of issues were raised and points made:

 

(a)  several councillors expressed concern that apprentices would receive a salary below the National Living Wage for the first 3 months of their contract, and that this could impact upon the City Council’s reputation, the quality of intake and apprentices’ morale;

(b)  in response, it was explained that the introductory salary level will help the City Council maximise the number of apprentices employed, that a two-stage salary structure for apprentices will be more in line with the recently introduced Authority-wide Pay Model, and that demand for apprenticeship places continues to outstrip supply;

(c)  new apprentices  are not considered fully ‘job ready’ at the outset and receive at least 20% off-the-job training, including tutor visits and self-directed learning. It was also confirmed that new apprentices receive a Travel Pass for use during the first month of their placement;

(d)  the City Council’s apprenticeship retention rate of 78% compared favourably with the performance of similar organisations elsewhere;

(e)  an Additional Support Fund will be administered by the Resourcing and Reward Team. In addition, the Team will provide mentoring support to apprentices and their line management to resolve points at issue;

(f)  it was confirmed that the new arrangements will not be directly applicable to employees of Enviro-Energy or Robin Hood Energy;

(g)  in a majority of cases, those internal candidates taking up apprenticeships will do so within their current role. The minority moving out of their current work area will be treated as secondees, in line with the approach adopted by many public sector organisations;

(h)  a consensus emerged to approve the recommendations in the report with immediate effect. However, in view of several councillors’ reservations, it was agreed that the Committee would consider alternative costed proposals if these were submitted by September 2017.

RESOLVED to:

(1)  pay all new starter Nottingham Apprentices the National Apprenticeship Wage of £3.50 per hour for the first 3 months of their contract;

(2)  automatically uplift new starter Nottingham Apprentices pay to National Minimum Wages for their age from month 4 of their apprenticeship (ranging from £4.05 per hour to £7.05 per hour) and rising to National Living Wage for those aged 25 or over and in a second or subsequent year of their apprenticeship;

(3)  establish an Additional Support Fund of £5,000 to assist apprentices that may experience financial difficulty in their apprenticeship, with cases to be assessed on an individual basis;

(4)  agree an approach for internal apprentices which will allow existing employees to access apprenticeship training, paying internal apprentices a salary based on a grade determined through job evaluation for their apprenticeship post;

(5)  gain a commitment to remain in Nottingham City Council for a minimum of 2 years for the end of their apprenticeship;

(6)  subject to resolutions 1 to 5 above, agree changes to the Apprenticeship Agreement so that this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

To consider excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining item in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the basis that, having regard to all of the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information

Minutes:

RESOLVED to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the remaining 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 outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

12.

APPRENTICESHIP TERMS AND CONDITIONS - EXEMPT LEGAL OBSERVATIONS

Minutes:

Emma Hodgett, Resourcing and Reward Manager and Josie Guynan, Resourcing and Reward Consultant, introduced the legal observations in the exempt appendix to the report.

 

RESOLVED to note the exempt appendix to the report.