Agenda and minutes

Notice of items to be raised under this heading must be given in writing to the Head of Executive and Member Services or his representative before the meeting in accordance with Standing Order 60.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Agha and Hirani, with Councillor Southwood being present as a substitute.

Members are invited to declare at this stage of the meeting, the nature and existence of any relevant disclosable pecuniary, personal or prejudicial interests in the items on this agenda and to specify the item(s) to which they relate.

There were no declarations of interests made by Members.

To hear any deputations received from members of the public in accordance with Standing Order 67.

There were no deputations received.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting, held on 26 March 2018, be approved as an accurate record.

To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

There were no matters arising.

The paper proposes the introduction of a new Market Supplements policy to help address the difficulties being experienced in recruiting to some specific technical and professional roles. 

Martin Williams (the Council’s Senior HR Transformation Lead) introduced the report proposing the introduction of a new Market Supplements policy to help address the difficulties being experienced in recruiting to some specific technical and professional roles.  

Mr Williams stated that as a result of the economic recession and consequent changes to the jobs market from 2010, market supplement payments had been mostly phased out in Brent Council. Members were advised that a protocol for agreeing such payments in exceptional cases had been retained and market supplement payments were made to particular social work posts.

Mr Williams stated that the Protocol adopted in 2009 required all new market supplement payments to be approved by the General Purposes Committee. Members were informed that the jobs market had become more buoyant in recent years and there were a number of posts it had proved difficult to recruit to at the salary level indicated by the evaluated grade. This had resulted in the use of agency staff and interims to cover vacancies, often at significantly higher cost.

Mr Williams stated that it was therefore proposed that a new Market Supplement Policy be adopted to allow market supplement payments to be approved by the Chief Executive, unless the proposed supplement exceeded specified parameters in which case it would be referred to the General Purposes Committee for approval.

Under the draft policy all market supplements must be the subject of HR and financial advice, and must be authorised by the relevant Strategic Director, before being submitted to the Chief Executive to approve or reject, or, in specified cases, to refer to the General Purposes Committee.

Market supplements for posts graded Hay 3 or above would be taken to the General Purposes Committee. The Committee would also approve market supplements which increased a salary by more than a threshold amount or percentage which, because of the number of posts to which they would apply, would cost in excess of a threshold amount.

In order to ensure that the payment of each market supplement remained justified, no market supplement could be agreed for an initial period of more than two years and the business case for a market supplement would be subject to a review after 12 months, if the supplement was agreed for a longer period than one year. The time-limited nature of a market supplement and the provision for review would be specified in the contract of employment of employees to whom it would be paid.

RESOLVED:

(i)    The contents of the Market Supplement Policy report be noted; and

(ii)  The Market Supplement Policy set out in Appendix A to the report be approved.

At its meeting on 14 May 2018 Full Council is due to review and determine the representation of political groups on its main committees and subsequently make appointments in accordance with the wishes of the political groups concerned. As soon as practicable after such a review, the Committee is required to review and determine the representation of political groups on its Sub-committees and then make appointments giving effect to the wishes of the political groups allocated seats.

Councillor Butt, Leader of the Council, stated that at its meeting on 14 May 2018 Full Council reviewed and determined the representation of political groups on its main committees and subsequently agreed appointments in accordance with the wishes of the political groups concerned.

He stated that Members of the General Purposes Committee were now required to review and determine the representation of political groups on its Sub-committees and then make appointments giving effect to the wishes of the political groups.

RESOLVED:

(i)    The contents of the Review of Representation of Political Groups and Appointments report be noted;

(ii)  The size of each Sub-committee to be appointed by the Committee be agreed;

(iii)The allocation of seats to political groups on each of the Sub-committees be agreed in accordance with political balance rules.

(iv)Chairs and Vice-Chairs, Members and Substitutes be appointed to each Sub-committee as outlined in Minute Item 8.

To be tabled on the day.

RESOLVED that Members agree the following appointments to the General Purposes Sub-Committees:

senior staff appointments sub-committee

m butt (C)                                     LABOUR                  

mclennan (VC)                            LABOUR                                          

colwill                                          CONSERVATIVE

hirani                                              LABOUR

Krupa sheth                              LABOUr

SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS:

LABOUR: agha, farah, m patel, southwood

CONSERVATIVE: KANSAGRA, MAURICE

senior staff appeals sub-committee

m butt (C)                                     LABOUR                  

mclennan (VC)                            LABOUR                                          

hirani                                              LABOUR

kansagra                                     CONSERVATIVE

Krupa sheth                              LABOUr

SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS:

LABOUR: agha, farah, m patel, southwood

CONSERVATIVE: colwill, MAURICE

brent pension fund sub-committee

choudhary (C)                           LABOUR

aden (VC)                                       LABOUR

gbajumo                                        LABOUR

Lo                                                       LABOUR

Maurice                                         CONSERVATIVE

perrin                                             LABOUR

shahzad                                        LABOUR

Co-Opted non-voting:

FRANCESCA HAMMOND            (UNISON)

STEPHEN HOLLEY                       (UNITED COLLEGES GROUP)

SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS:

LABOUR: choudry, kabir, mcleish, naheerathan

CONSERVATIVE: colwill, kansagra

brent pension board

FULL MEMBERS:

DAVID EWART (C)                                     INDEPENDENT CHAIR

crane                                              LABOUR

perrin                                             LABOUR

TREVOR DAWSON                        PENSION SCHEME MEMBER

BOLA GEORGE                              TRADE UNION (UNISON) MEMBER

EUTON STEWART                                   TRADE UNION (GMB) MEMBER

SEBASTIAN STEER          EMPLOYER MEMBER (NON-BRENT COUNCIL)

SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS:

LABOUR: ADEN, CHOUDHARY

General Note

Please note the expiry date for the appointment of certain Independent Co-opted Members is automatically extended until the Annual Council Meeting in 2019, as per standing order 50.    

Notice of items to be raised under this heading must be given in writing to the Head of Executive and Member Services or his representative before the meeting in accordance with Standing Order 60.

None.