Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence are noted above.

Members of the Employment Panel are asked whether they have an interest in any of the matters on the agenda and, if so, to formally declare that interest.

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2026 are attached for approval and accuracy.

It was agreed that the notes of the meeting held on 3 February 2026 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Each Committee is required to have a nominated Corporate Parenting Champion; they will receive training from Children’s Services and will be responsible for advocating for Corporate Parenting matters in each committee. Champions will be appointed by each Committee at their first meeting of the municipal year. If the representative wishes to also attend Corporate Parenting Boards scheduled for the municipal year 2026-2027 these are:

30 June 2026

1 September 2026

1 December 2026

12 January 2027

2 March 2027

The Employment Panel considered the appointment of a Corporate Parenting Champion for the 2026/27 municipal year.

It was agreed:

1.     Councillor A Arif be appointed as the Corporate Parenting Champion for the Employment Panel Committee.

The Workforce Policy Review report and appendices are attached.

Tim Normanton presented a report detailing proposed revisions to a number of workforce policies.

Consultation Procedure

The Employment Panel considered revisions to the Consultation Procedure.

Members were advised that the procedure had not been reviewed for some time and required updating to reflect recent legislative changes. Tim Normanton outlined the introduction of a three-tier approach to consultation, including a new streamlined procedure for smaller-scale changes affecting up to nineteen employees.

The revised procedure also reflected changes arising from the Employment Rights Act 2025 and proposed consultation periods aligned more closely with statutory requirements whilst retaining flexibility for more complex reviews.

Councillor Walsh expressed concern that tracked changes had not been provided with any of the policy reviews, making it difficult to identify all amendments. Tim Normanton advised that previous tracked changed versions of policy reviews had proved difficult to follow and that key amendments had therefore been highlighted within the accompanying report. Members were advised that the changes had been reviewed by the Council's employment solicitor and discussed with UNISON. In response, Councillor Walsh declared that she would abstain from voting on any unclear policies presented for review.

In a response to a question around engagement with Employee groups, Catherine King advised that sessions had been arranged with employee groups to discuss revised policies and gather employee feedback in relation to any issues that they may be facing.

In response to a question around the Local Authority having an Employee Handbook, Catherine King explained that there is a handbook which sets out the local conditions of services and that staff members do use this.

It was agreed:

1. That the revised Consultation Procedure be approved.

Vote: 6 in favour, 1 abstention.

Trade Union Consultation Framework

The Employment Panel considered amendments to the Trade Union Consultation Framework.

Tim Normanton advised that the amendments reflected current working practices and meeting arrangements, facilitating more effective engagement with UNISON and increasing the frequency of the Health and Safety Committee.

It was agreed:

1. That the revised Trade Union Consultation Framework be approved.

Vote: 6 in favour, 1 abstention.

Family Leave Policy

The Employment Panel  considered proposed amendments to the Family Leave Policy.

Members were advised that the principal amendments reflected national pension regulation changes affecting periods of unpaid leave. Tim Normanton also highlighted the extension of maternity support leave arrangements to allow leave to be taken within 52 weeks of birth, aligning the policy with paternity leave provisions.

In response to a Member’s question regarding the pension scheme, Tim Normanton confirmed that the changes related to the Local Government Pension Scheme and its current career average arrangements.

It was agreed:

1. That the revised Family Leave Policy be approved.

Vote: 6 in favour, 1 abstention.

Fixed Term Contracts Policy

The revised Fixed Term Contracts Policy was presented to The Employment Panel.

Members were advised that the existing policy had not been comprehensively reviewed since 2013 and that the proposed revisions improved clarity and alignment with the Recruitment and Redeployment Policies.

In discussing recruitment challenges, a member raised  ...  view the full minutes text for item EP.5

Tim Normanton, Assistant Director of HR to deliver a training session to Employment Panel Members on the recruitment and appeals panels.

Tim Normanton delivered a training session around the recruitment of Chief Officers. Due to time constraints, it was agreed that the training around the Employment Appeal Hearings will be delivered at a later date.

Any other business which by reason of special circumstances the Chair agrees may be considered as a matter of urgency.

There was no urgent business.