Agenda, decisions and 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.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 18 June 2019.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

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

The Committee resolved:-

(i)        to note the reason for the reporting delay in relation to item 8 (EAS Scheme/Occupational Health/ Sickness Absence six monthly report);

(ii)       in respect of item 10 (Policy Review), to note that there were no policies to be reported; and

(iii)      to otherwise note the planner.

With reference to article 5 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which sought approval of a new approach to internal recruitment and internal movement of staff across the Council.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       approve the new approach to internal recruitment and internal movement of staff as set out within this report and instruct the Chief Officer - Organisational Development to implement the approach; and

(b)       note that following consideration of this report, and consultation with trade unions, the redeployment process and the managing recruitment and selection guidance will be updated to align with the approach and circulated to this committee as a service update.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)        to approve the recommendations;

(ii)       to note that the Chief Officer - Organisational Development would circulate details of the external recruitment costs and current redeployment figures to Members of the Committee; and

(iii)       to instruct the Chief Officer - Organisational Development to submit an update report on the new approach to internal recruitment and internal movement of staff to this Committee in one year.

With reference to article 8 of the minute of the Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Committee of 26 June 2019, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which provided an update on the progress to review the Building Services craft agreement and to ensure that it was relative to the current working practices.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)        to note that officers had provided assurances that there would be a degree of flexibility in terms of the timescales for the formal consultation period;

(ii)       to instruct the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services to determine whether Trade Unions had been notified of the timescales for formal consultation and that a response in this regard be circulated to Members and Trade Union advisers; and

(iii)      to otherwise note the report.

With reference to article 7 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Governance which outlined statistical health and safety performance information for the three-month reporting period April – June 2019 in order that the Committee had the opportunity to monitor compliance with health and safety legislation.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee scrutinise and review health, safety and wellbeing policy, performance, trends and improvements.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)        that in relation to incident (reportable employee) frequency rates at section 3.11 of the report, that officers incorporate benchmark figures from other local authorities in future reports, if available; and

(ii)       to otherwise note the report.

With reference to article 7 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which provided information on the work being undertaken by Integrated Children and Family Services to assist employees to de-escalate issues which could result in unacceptable behaviours being directed towards Pupil Support Assistants.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)       note the content of this report; and

(b)       instruct the Chief Operating Officer to continue to monitor the impact of the actions detailed in this report and to provide a service update to Members and Trade Union Advisers in one calendar year.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

With reference to article 3 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which provided an update on actions taken following an accidental uncontrolled release of asbestos fibres at Bridge of Don Academy during July 2018 and a separate incident at Beachview Court.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)        to instruct officers to circulate details to Members in relation to Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE), specifically (1) why policies and procedures were not yet in place; and (2) whether there was a system in place to check the condition of the equipment;      

(ii)       that ‘Asbestos Incidents’ be added to the agenda as a standing item for three committee cycles, noting that if there were no incidents of this nature, a report would not be required; and

(iii)      to otherwise note the report.

-           COUNCILLOR YVONNE ALLAN, Convener.