Agenda and draft minutes
Venue: Council House, Plymouth (Next to the Civic Centre)
Contact: Gemma Pearce, Democratic Support Email: gemma.pearce@plymouth.gov.uk
No. | Item | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Members will be asked to make declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest in accordance with the code of conduct. |
|||||||||||||||||
To confirm the minutes of the Support Services Overview and Scrutiny Panel held on 4 March 2013. Minutes: Agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2013. |
|||||||||||||||||
CHAIR'S URGENT BUSINESS To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration. Minutes: There were no items of Chair’s urgent business. |
|||||||||||||||||
TRACKING RESOLUTIONS AND FEEDBACK FROM OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY MANAGEMENT BOARD PDF 47 KB To receive a copy of the panel’s tracking resolutions and any feedback from the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on issues which concern this panel. Minutes: The panel noted their tracking resolutions; there were no further comments. |
|||||||||||||||||
To receive the panel’s work programme for 2012/2013. Minutes: The panel noted their work programme |
|||||||||||||||||
BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE MONITORING PDF 138 KB To receive information within the terms of reference of this panel with regard to –
· Budget · Performance · Delivery plans · Value for money Minutes: Simon Arthurs, Strategic Finance Manager, Andrew Loton, Performance and Research Officer and Emma Rose, Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, provided the panel with an update on budget and performance monitoring for the Corporate Services Directorate.
In response to questions raised it was reported that –
The panel thanked the officers for the report and raised concerns that the monitoring of delivery plans was an important issue and should be scrutinised in the future.
|
|||||||||||||||||
To receive information on staff sickness levels, targets and action plans. Additional documents: Minutes: Emma Rose, Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing provided the panel with an update on staff sickness.
The panel was informed that –
(a) a three month project had taken place with the aim to review and improve the Council’s sickness absence levels;
(b) in January 2013 a HR consultant was appointed on a temporary three month basis to lead the project primarily focused on reducing the top 100 current long term sick cases;
(c) 60 long term sickness cases were reviewed, 48 have subsequently been resolved and 11 cases remain open;
(d) during the course of the project there had been an overall reduction in full time equivalent absence and this enhanced case management has contributed towards that;
In response to questions raised it was reported that –
(e) one of the four major underlying factors that contributed to on-going long term sickness absence evidenced through the three month project was lack of management competence in managing the cases. The HR management team were reviewing the actions identified through this project to enhance the work already underway to achieve required sickness absence targets;
(f) thresholds were used as a key indicator to manage sickness levels and monitoring;
(g) assessing managerial ability was an on-going piece of work through annual appraisals where sickness absence thresholds would be included;
(h) stress was a contributing factor to sickness absence however the Council provided multiple areas of support to assist individuals in coping with work pressures;
The panel praised the Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing for her report and highlighted their concern that this issue should continue to be monitored in the future by scrutiny.
|
|||||||||||||||||
GOVERNMENT POLICY CHANGES Information on Government policy changes can be found on the new Plymouth City Council ‘Policy Hub’.
Minutes: The panel noted that the new reporting procedure for Government policy changes could be accessed on the new Plymouth City Council ‘Policy Hub’ webpage. |
|||||||||||||||||
REVENUES AND BENEFITS PERFORMANCE UPDATE PDF 181 KB To receive for information a copy of the Revenues and Benefits monthly position statement. Minutes: The panel noted the Revenues and Benefits Performance Update.
Agreed that the Chair would write a letter to the Revenue and Benefits department thanking staff for their hard work involved with the restructure and welfare reform preparatory work. |
|||||||||||||||||
EXEMPT BUSINESS To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it (they) involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) … of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Minutes: There were no items of exempt business. |