Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Councillor Thomson made a general statement of transparency by virtue of her

membership of UNISON Grampian Health Branch.  She did not consider that this amounted to an interest which required to be declared and would prevent her from participating in the meeting.

The Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 25 August 2025 for approval.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

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

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note the reasons for the delays to items 4 (Bairns Hoose) and 8 (Leadership and Management Development Update), and that officers had advised that the Bairns Hoose report was on track to be presented to the next committee cycle;

(ii)       to agree to remove items 9 (Managing Substance Misuse Policy) and 10 (Corporate Health and Safety Policy) from the planner; and

(iii)      to otherwise note the planner.

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 3-month reporting period July to September 2025 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:-

to note the report.

With reference to article 8 of the minute of its meeting of 26 June 2023, the Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director Corporate Services which presented data on the application of the Managing Discipline, Managing Grievances and Dignity and Respect at Work policies.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the updated data provided regarding the usage and application of the policies; and

(b)      note the improvement actions planned to improve progress on timescales for employee relations casework across the organisation within a joint action plan.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that officers would review the presentation of the data relating to average days taken for investigation outcomes (page 42) in future reports to include the median value to allow clarity as to whether figures were affected by one or two cases which had exceeded deadlines for particular reasons; and

(ii)       to approve the recommendations.

With reference to article 5 of the minute of its meeting of 1 November 2018, the Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director Corporate Services which sought approval for a revised Supporting Attendance and Wellbeing Policy.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee approve the updated Supporting Attendance and Wellbeing Policy in the Appendix to replace the current version of the policy, which was approved in 2018, with an implementation date of 1 February 2026 to allow for necessary training to be arranged, communications to be undertaken and other

administrative arrangements to be completed.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that officers would take on board the feedback from Members in relation to how data was presented in charts in future reports (for example, using patterning as well as colour to differentiate, and checking that data was clear in the charts);

(ii)       to approve the updated Supporting Attendance and Wellbeing Policy in the Appendix to replace the current version of the policy, which was approved in 2018, with an implementation date of 1 February 2026 to allow for necessary training to be arranged, communications to be undertaken and other administrative arrangements to be completed, with the exception of Appendix 1 (Application of Supporting Attendance and Wellbeing Policy to Teachers (SNCT and LNCT Provisions));

(iii)      to note that the Chief Officer – People and Citizen Services would discuss Appendix 1 with Trade Unions, noting that any minor adjustments could be made under delegated authority; and

(iv)      to request that the Chief Officer – People and Citizen Services provide an update to Members and Trade Union Advisers outwith the meeting on (a) the changes made to Appendix 1 and (b) the outcome from the December LNCT meeting as to whether the policy had been ratified.

-                COUNCILLOR NEIL COPLAND, Convener