Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director for Finance and Resources

Titu Hayre-Bennett, Head of Transformation, and Gareth Sayers, Development and Change Manager, presented the report to update the Committee on the Council’s progress in relation to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), wellbeing, pay and sickness management. They highlighted the following information.

(a)  the work undertaken by the HR department is tied to the Together for Nottingham Plan and the IAB requirements;

(b)  with the new approach to Individual Performance Reviews into its second year, the number of managers setting objectives for their staff and employees recording them had increased;

(c)  the number of colleagues completing mandatory learning has increased from a low base of 71% in 2019/209 to 96% in 2022/23;

(d)  the Council’s Leadership Development Programme has seen 87% of managers complete the Leading and Managing Together programme. Phase 2 of the programme will focus on embedding behavioural change and producing results;

(e)  the new Colleague Workforce Development programme has seen 1,822 colleagues attend workshops, 4,950 complete 21,000 e-learning modules and 83% colleagues completing their Best Value eLearning. As part of phase 2, further modules will include digital skills, managing workplace projects and collaboration/partnership working;

(f)  talent development programmes have been delivered to upskill Council colleagues in business analysis and project management;

(g)  participation from Councillors in the Councillor Development Programme has increased year on year since 2019. A six-week induction for all Councillors following the May 2023 Local Elections has seen fourteen sessions for Councillors delivered over a six-week period;

(h)  in January 2023, the Council passed a motion to consider Care Experience as a protected characteristic. The next step involves implementing the Care Leavers action plan and equality impact assess the Council’s objectives and policies to determine the impact of changes on people with care experience;

(i)  the current EDI strategy is being reviewed with consultations and engagement exercises taking place with citizens and key stakeholders. An employee survey took place alongside a benchmarking exercise against other councils, including core city councils; 

(j)  a specialist agency, Inclusive Employers, completed an audit of the Council’s EDI strategy. The next steps are for the Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) to consider the key findings and recommendations for the new EDI strategy, which is due to launch in Autumn 2023;

(k)  the Council’s inclusive initiatives include being a Disability Confident Employer, having achieved ‘Leader’ Status in 2022, Race at Work Charter; BSL Charter and the Stonewall Equality Index;

(l)  the casework numbers have increased from 170 per year in 2020 to 193 reported in 2022/23;

(m)during the COVID-19 Pandemic, there was a moratorium on disciplinaries which was agreed by the Council with the trade unions;

(n)  the Disciplinary Policy and associated guidance has been reviewed. Subject to final negotiations with the trade unions, it is anticipated that this will be finalised by the end of July and will be scheduled for approval at Central Panel;

(o)  for the causes of sickness absence, cough, colds and flu was the primary absence in 2022/23. In terms of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) days lost, the higher number of days of absence was due to stress, depression and mental health;

(p)  mental health and wellbeing resources are being provided to the Council’s occupational health service, as well as specialist advice on complex cases, such as trauma;

(q)  proposals for revision to the Council’s Pay Policy and funding provisions, as approved by the Appointments and Conditions of Service (ACOS) Committee and Executive Board, are currently subject to consultation and negotiation with the Council’s recognised trade unions, with a view to securing a collective agreement;

During the discussion and in response to questions from the Committee, the following points were raised:

(r)  the EDI Audit Report can be shared with the rest of the Committee;

(s)  the revised pay grades are factored into the Council’s current budget for 2023/24;

(t)  the Council is aiming to build support for Carers into the EDI Strategy, but more needs to be done to recruit staff from a variety of different social backgrounds;

(u)  departments can use needs assessments to identify skills required for roles within their own departments.

Resolved to:

1.  take assurance in the HR activity as outlined within the report;

2.  circulate the EDI Strategy Audit Report by Inclusive Employers Limited amongst the Audit Committee.