Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be viewed here.

Please note that if any changes are made to this minute at the point of approval, these will be outlined in the subsequent minute and this document will not be retrospectively altered.

The Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 9 September 2024 for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

The Convener advised Members that while an Integrated Impact Assessment had been completed for item 11.1 (Volunteers Policy), officers had advised that it had not been uploaded to the website prior to the meeting and therefore it was recommended that the item be withdrawn from today’s meeting and considered at the next Committee in January 2025.

The Committee resolved:-

to agree that the report be withdrawn and reconsidered at the January 2025 Staff Governance Committee.

The Committee had before it the business planner as prepared by the Interim Chief Officer – Governance.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note the reason outlined in the planner for the delay to item 8 (Flexible and Smarter Working Policy and Guidance); and

(ii)       to otherwise note the planner.

The Committee had before it the annual report by the Executive Director Corporate Services which provided an update on progress and activity in relation to the Council’s approach to leadership and management development, previously approved by the Committee in October 2022.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the continuing progress made on developing leaders and managers and the assurance provided within the report that this programme equipped managers to deal with the challenges ahead; and

(b)      note the introduction of the Accelerator Scheme as part of the Aspiring

Leaders programme 2024-25 and how this would contribute to supporting people with Protected Characteristics to progress their people management ambitions with Aberdeen City Council, increasing the pool of diverse candidates at leadership level who were suitably qualified and ready to undertake senior posts.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that officers would provide detail to Members outwith the meeting in respect of the number of returned evaluations for courses where this information was available;

(ii)       to note the suggestion from Members that there could be Elected Member involvement in future in the leadership and development programme, through introductory meetings between officers and various Members which would allow Members to engage with new leaders;

(iii)      to note that officers would ascertain whether working with Trade Unions was specifically included within the People Manager development programme, and that if not, to note that officers had undertaken to work with Trade Union colleagues on introducing this; and

(iv)      to approve the recommendations.

The Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director Corporate Services which presented the annual report of the Staff Governance Committee to enable Members to provide comment on the data contained within.

The report recommended:-

that the 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:-

to note the report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director Corporate Services which presented a summary of statistical health and safety performance information for the three month reporting period July to September 2024 to provide the Committee with the opportunity to monitor compliance with health and safety legislation.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the report and provide comment on the health, safety policy, performance, trends, and improvements.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       in relation to page 96 of the report and the graph which displayed the data for the total number of near misses from 2022/23 and 2024/25, to note that officers would liaise with colleagues in Data Insights to ascertain whether future reports could separate out the data for the Education cluster to determine whether the dip in figures was as a result of the school holidays; and

(ii)       to otherwise note the report.

-       COUNCILLOR NEIL COPLAND, Convener