Issue - meetings

(i)       to thank the Trade Unions for their contributions to the Committee during the reporting period;

(ii)       to note that the Clerk had advised that she would follow up with Trade Unions in relation to the current vacancies to the substantive and substitute adviser roles to try to ensure a full complement of Trade Union representation;

(iii)      to note that the Clerk would review the formatting of the committee composition table for the next report;

(iv)      to note the query in relation to whether the Committee was fully acting as a safety committee within s2(7) of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974 (as referred to in the Terms of Reference) and that the Chief Officer – People and Organisational Development would discuss this outwith the meeting with the Chief Officer – Governance and the Corporate Health and Safety Lead to ascertain whether any amendments were required to the either the reports presented to Committee or to its Terms of Reference; and

(v)      to note the report.

The Committee had before it the annual committee effectiveness report by the Director of Commissioning for consideration.  The annual effectiveness reports were introduced in 2018/19 following a recommendation from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) as part of the Council’s work towards securing that organisation’s accreditation in governance excellence.

Members asked a number of questions on the report, firstly in relation to the Trade Union adviser vacancies and whether officers were being given time off to attend meetings; and then in respect of the SGC Terms of Reference and whether the committee was currently operating as a safety committee in terms of legislation.  Members also highlighted that the committee composition table was displaying half numbers and suggested this could be reviewed for future reports.

The report recommended:-

that Committee –

(a)      provide comments and observations on the data contained within the annual report; and

(b)      note the annual report of the Staff Governance Committee.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to thank the Trade Unions for their contributions to the Committee during the reporting period;

(ii)       to note that the Clerk had advised that she would follow up with Trade Unions in relation to the current vacancies to the substantive and substitute adviser roles to try to ensure a full complement of Trade Union representation;

(iii)      to note that the Clerk would review the formatting of the committee composition table for the next report;

(iv)      to note the query in relation to whether the Committee was fully acting as a safety committee within s2(7) of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974 (as referred to in the Terms of Reference) and that the Chief Officer – People and Organisational Development would discuss this outwith the meeting with the Chief Officer – Governance and the Corporate Health and Safety Lead to ascertain whether any amendments were required to either the reports presented to Committee or to its Terms of Reference; and

(v)      to note the report.