Cabinet agreed to:

1.    Note the contents of Health Safety and Wellbeing Policy, specifically members’ accountabilities and responsibilities;

2.    Communicate and role-model positive HSW performance and leadership, and actively improve and maintain individual HSW competency.

Councillor Dann (Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure and HR & OD) introduced the report and highlighted the following points:

a)    The policy was adopted by PCC due to health and safety affecting every employee and Councillor, as well as everybody who used PCC services and the public;

b)    Statistically, more people were affected by their workplace if they did not feel well, which was why PCC had an occupational health service and promoted healthy working environments;

c)    There were eight different tiers in the policy to include health and safety for all responsibilities within PCC;

d)    The Health and Safety Executive provided a cycle, which was as follows: Plan what to do, check to ensure it was being done, act if it is not being done or if anything goes wrong. This ensured constant reviewing of health and safety policies and ensured that as working processes and practices changed, PCC was kept up to date;

e)    There would be a new HR system in place by Easter 2025 which would monitor the training happening across PCC in regards to health and safety.

Chris Squire (Service Director for HROD) added:

f)     Great health, safety and wellbeing in the workplace would result in better outcomes for Plymouth citizens;

g)    All staff had a responsibility to look after their own health, safety and wellbeing as well as those of others;

h)    He would be attending a health and safety tour of Prince Rock Depot with Councillor Dann (Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure and HR & OD) and Councillor Briars-Delve (Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change).

Kirstie Spencer (Head of Health and Safety) added:

i)     The discussions held at Cabinet had both an indirect and a direct impact on health and safety;

j)     Health and safety was an integral part of people’s roles;

k)    The policy was more explicit than previous iterations had been;

l)     Cabinet Members should familiarise themselves with the parts of the policy which relate directly to their portfolios;

m)  The policy was in line with the Health and Safety Executives best practice - ‘HSG 65 Managing Health and Safety’.

Tracey Lee (Chief Executive) added:

n)    This was a revision to previous health and safety policies which had in the past been signed off by herself and the relevant Cabinet Member;

o)    The policy ensured maximum visibility and clearly articulated roles and responsibilities.

In response to questions, it was explained:

p)    Accountability was different to responsibility in that responsibilities could be delegated down through lines of management;

q)    The Council ensured there were adequate resources for health and safety;

r)     PCC was a learning organisation which would continually improve, and quarterly updates were given at CMT (Corporate Management Team) to ensure they were adhering to key performance indications and key actions;

s)    The new HR system would mean any individual, with or without a licence, could record an incident, near miss or hazardous situation which would then be escalated to line management for investigation at a proportionate level;

t)     The new system would be used to record training and data against a person’s individual account;

u)    Key Performance Indicators for the new system would include ensuring incidents were closed on time, and that they were properly investigated within the set parameters;

v)    Regular conversations took place between each directorate and trade unions to ensure oversight and visibility;

w)   Every portfolio holder would have regular updates with their directorate to have an update on health and safety and properly understand the issues the directorates faced at a strategic level.

Cabinet agreed to the following recommendations:

1.    To note the contents of Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy, specifically Member’s accountabilities and responsibilities;

2.    To communicate and role-model positive Health, Safety and Wellbeing performance and leadership, and actively improve and maintain individual Health, Safety and Wellbeing competency.