Agenda and minutes

None made.

RESOLVED:-

that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 13 September 2012 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

None.

This report sets out the arrangements for the restructuring of services supporting school improvement in the Children and Families Department.  These arrangements need to be in place by 1^st April 2013 to meet budgetary pressures.  All the changes are taking place in accordance with the Council’s agreed Managing Change procedure.

The report from the Director of Children and Families set out arrangements for the restructuring of services supporting school improvement in the Children and Families Department. Sara Williams (Interim Assistant Director, Early Help and Education) advised that the arrangements were prompted by a budget reductions and also reduction in funding from the dedicated schools grant. It was currently expected that there would be 17.5 staff redundancies out of the 27.5 posts to be deleted. Discussions had been taking place for some time with staff and trade unions and formal consultation was due to end in the following week. On the loss of the Traveller Education Service, while schools were able to carry out some work in the classroom, efforts would be made to identify funding for the traveller liaison post to maintain direct contact with families on traveller sites particularly in view of imminent changes to housing benefits.

It was clarified that a number of staff had opted for voluntary redundancy, reducing the need for compulsory redundancies and noted that the Education Welfare Service would be relocated elsewhere within Children and Families Department and be part of a later staffing reorganisation.

RESOLVED:-

that the agreement be given to the restructuring of the Services to Schools team in Children and Families to form a new School Improvement Service.

This report provides details of the proposed Managing Capability Policy and Procedure.  This will replace the current Capability Policy and Procedure.

The report from the Interim Director of Human Resources provided details of the proposed Managing Capability Policy and Procedure. Cara Davani (Interim Director of Human Resources) advised that this was the latest in a series of re-written policies, updated to involve less formal processes and allow a more straightforward organisational management. It allowed for formal resolution to be proceeded by informal management action and was less specific about timescales so that action could be taken more quickly or slower as appropriate. Andy Potts (Legal) confirmed that the proposals complied with the ACAS codes.

Members questioned whether managers would receive training in the new arrangements and were advised that practice would be rolled out in a structure fashion from January 2013 as part of the corporate development programme.

RESOLVED:-

(i)         that approval be given to the draft capability policy and procedure with effect from 1^st January 2013;

(ii)        that the Assistant Director Human Resources (or Deputy) in consultation with the Director of Legal and Procurement (or Deputy) and then consultation with the relevant trade unions, to make other such changes as may be necessary from time to time to all HR policies and procedures.

This report provides details of the proposed Grievance Policy and Procedure.  This will replace the current Fairness at Work Policy and Procedure. 

Cara Davani (Interim Director of Human Resources) introduced the report which detailed the proposed Grievance Policy and Procedure, designed to replace the current Fairness at Work Policy and Procedure and included a collective Grievance Policy.

RESOLVED:-

(I)         that the draft Grievance Policy and Procedure be agreed with effect 1 January 2013;

(ii)        that the Assistant Director, Human Resources (or Deputy), in consultation with the Director of Legal and Procurement (or Deputy) and then consultation with the relevant trade unions, be authorised to make such other changes as may be necessary from time to time to all HR Policies and Procedures. 

None.

None.