Agenda and draft minutes

Members of Human Resources Committee are asked to consider whether they have an interest in any of the matters on the Agenda, and, if so, to formally declare that interest.

There were no interests declared at the meeting

Report attached

Caroline Schofield presented a report which provided members with an update on the progress made and the governance/implementation plans in relation to the GM wide Continuity of Service Protocol for recognition of service where an individual voluntarily changes employer between NHS and Local Authority employers within Greater Manchester. 

Caroline explained that the protocol was not about changing terms and conditions and the benefits in adopting the protocol were set out:-

·         Maintaining employment benefits

·         Raising the profile of working within GM public sector

·         Greater flexibility and choice for public sector workers

·         Supporting our ability to attract, recruit, develop, motivate and retain our workforce

·         Increased likelihood of attracting people with specialist knowledge and skills

·         More motivated staff and a higher retention of staff resulting in a reduction of recruitment costs, overtime and sickness absence and a higher level of engagement and job satisfaction

·         Parties would become an employer of choice

·         Wider pool of applicants

·         More creative recruitment solutions and career development opportunities

·         Greater opportunity to fill specialist roles, eg social workers moving from local authorities into local integrated care organisations under the NHS

·         Greater collaborative working and options to reduce redundancy costs by enabling the transfer of staff between organisations

·         Having a geographically and organisationally mobile workforce at a GM level will benefit all organisations and individuals, and will expedite the integration of health and social care and workforce transformation across GM.

It was reported that informal discussions were beginning to take place with the trade unions to enable the protocol to be subject to formal consultation and adoption.

Discussions have been held with CCG Leaders, Provider Federation Board and Wider Leadership Team to encourage support and adoption of the protocol. All groups have indicated their support and have agreed in principle subject to full adoption within their own organisational governance processes.

Members of the Panel were invited to ask questions and make comments and the following points were raised:-

·         Councillor Holt referred to the Health and Social Care agenda and asked whether it was expected to lead to a lot of movement between organisations.

It was explained that there was already a lot of joint working in relation to health and social care and the joint commissioning of services which could lead to movement between organisations.

It was also explained that the work of the Combined Authority would also lead to movement.

·         Councillor Hodkinson asked if anything similar was being done across the country.

Tracy reported that Greater Manchester were the first area to consider flexibility of employment and would include all staff employed by:

·         a GM CCG organisation;

·         a GM NHS body

·         a GM Council

·         GM Combined Authority and its constituent bodies

·         Greater Manchester Health & Social Care Partnership

·         Transport for Greater Manchester

It was agreed:

That the Human Resources and Appeals Panel support the adoption of the Greater Manchester Continuity of Service Protocol.

Report attached

The Local Government Pension Scheme 2014 rules require employers to formulate, publish and keep under review a policy statement in relation to discretions. Tracy Murphy presented a report from the Interim Executive Director of Resources and Regulation proposing clarification to the discretions in accordance with the LGPS Regulations 2007.

A full list of the discretions was included at 4.2 of the report with the additional wording for clarification set out in bold and underlined, relating to flexible retirement.

It was agreed:

That the additional wording set out in 4.2 of the discretions be approved.  

Report from the Leader of the Council attached

Pay Policy Statement attached

In line with Section 38 (1) of the Localism Act 2011 to produce a Pay Policy Statement, the Assistant Director (Human Resources), Caroline Schofield presented a report from the Leader of the Council identifying:

·         The methods by which salaries of all employees are determined;

·         The detail and level of remuneration  of the Council’s most senior staff, and;

·         The agreed decision making arrangements to ensure that the provisions set out within the statement are applied consistently throughout the Council.

Appended to the report was the Pay Policy Statement 2018 – 2019 which included:

·         The local authority’s policy on the level and elements of remuneration for each chief officer;

·         The local authority’s policy on the remuneration of its lowest paid employees;

·         The local The local authority’s policy on the relationship between the remuneration of its chief officers and other officers;

·         The local authority’s policy on other specific aspects of chief officers’ remuneration: remuneration on recruitment, increases and additions to remuneration, use of performance-related pay and bonuses, termination payments and transparency.

It was explained that the Pay Policy Statement would be presented to the Council at its meeting on 11 April 2018.

It was agreed:

That the Human Resources and Appeals Panel recommends that the Pay Policy Statement for 2018/2019 be approved by Council.

To consider passing the appropriate resolution under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business since they involve the likely disclosure of the exempt information stated.

It was agreed:

That the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting.

Applications attached for information.

Two applications for Voluntary Early Retirement were presented to the Panel.

It was agreed:

That approval be given to the following applicants:

DG     CWB            VER, Efficiency with Severance           30/04/2018

EB      CWB            VER, Efficiency with Severance           30/04/2018

It was agreed:

That PC be extended as Assistant Director (Learning and Culture) in the department of Children, Young People and Culture on an interim basis.

Members asked that it be recorded that measures should be put in place as soon as possible to recruit to the post to offer stability to the Borough’s head teachers.