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Issue - meetings

HR Policies and Health and Safety Policies Refresh

 

 

Meeting: 26/09/2023 - Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 283)

283 HR Policies and Health and Safety Policies Refresh pdf icon PDF 115 KB

Purpose

For the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to note the decision taken by Cabinet in relation to the HR Policies and Health and Safety Policies Refresh.

 

Recommendation

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

 

1)    Note the decision taken on 12 September 2023.

 

Invited

Councillor Joe Harris, Leader of the Council;

Rob Weaver, Chief Executive;

Zoe Campbell, Assistant Director for Organisational Effectiveness

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The purpose of the item was to note the decision that Cabinet had taken to approving the HR Policies and Health and Safety Policy Refresh.

 

Councillor David Cunningham introduced this item as Chair of the HR policies Working Group.

 

The Committee wished to note its gratitude for the speed and efficiency in reviewing the policies and commended the hard work by the officers in delivering the project. 

 

It was confirmed by the Chief Executive that the Whistle Blowing Policy was not included within the review, as it had been previously reviewed as part of the Counter Fraud Unit’s work.

 

The Committee stated that future changes to the suite of policies should be brought back to the Committee through an annual review.

 

The recommendations were proposed  by Councillor Cunningham, and Councillor Muir seconded.

 

RESOLVED: That the Committee:

1)         NOTED the decision taken by Cabinet on 12 September 2023

2)         NOTED that an annual review will be brought back to Overview and Scrutiny Committee by the Chief Executive which would include any policies approved or changes made under delegated authority.

 

The meeting paused at a 19:00 for a comfort break

Meeting: 12/09/2023 - Cabinet (Item 166)

166 Employment and Health and Safety Policies pdf icon PDF 115 KB

Purpose

To update the Cabinet relating to the refresh of all Human Resources and Health & Safety policies for CDC.

 

Recommendations

That Cabinet resolves to:

1)    Agree the twenty-six employment policies and the Health & Safety Policy included in Annex A.

2)    Delegate authority to the Chief Executive to approve subsequent amendments to any Cotswold District Council employment policies that may be necessary in line with legal changes and best practice to ensure the Council’s policies remain compliant.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader revised the order of business on the request of the Chief Executive to consider this item first.

 

The purpose of the report was to update the Cabinet relating to the refresh of all Human Resources and Health & Safety policies for CDC.

 

The Assistant Director for Organisational Effectiveness introduced the report and outlined the report as presented. It was also explained that three policies had been withdrawn from the document for technical reasons; the Expenses Policy, Flexi-time TOIL and Overtime Policy, and the Redundancy Policy.

 

It was noted that the updated 23 employment policies and the health and safety policy presented would help to ensure that the policies would mitigate any risk of challenge. This would be further strengthened by the delegation to the Chief Executive to ensure the policies remain legally compliant.

 

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Employment Policies Task and Finish Group, Councillor David Cunningham addressed Cabinet regarding the policies presented. It was noted that the policies withdrawn were additional policies being reviewed and were not part of the core policies being refreshed.

It was noted that the Task and Finish Group was satisfied with the policies presented, and believed that these policies would serve the council well.

 

In response to a question on the policies in relation to Publica, it was noted by Cabinet that the policies presented were for Cotswold District Council employees did not have any change to terms and conditions. However the processes would be the same to Publica employees to ensure their application is correct.

 

The Chief Executive commented that the policies would give a clear way forward for Cotswold District Council employees, and that the minor issues identified with the withdrawn could be dealt with under delegated authority.

 

In regards to questions around oversight to any changes, it was noted that the delegation to the Chief Executive would be overseen by Overview and Scrutiny Committee with an update report given once a year.

 

It was noted that the updated policies would be communicated through the relevant portals.

 

 

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Harris and seconded by Councillor Evemy.

 

 

RESOLVED: That Cabinet

 

1) AGREED the twenty-three employment policies and the Health & Safety

Policy for consideration in Annex A.

2) DELEGATED authority to the Chief Executive to approve subsequent

amendments to any Cotswold District Council employment policies that may be necessary in line with legal changes and best practice to ensure the Council’s policies remain legally compliant.

3) DELEGATED authority to the Chief Executive to approve subsequent employment policies that come forward for approval.

 

 

Record of Voting – For: 8, Against 0, Abstention 0, Absent: 0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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