Agenda and minutes

To note the appointment at the meeting of Cabinet on 19 May 2005 of Councillor Marie-Louise Nolan as Chair of the Forum for the Municipal Year 2005/2006.

[Note: The Chair of the Forum shall be a Council Side Representative in 2005/2006, and the Vice-Chair is to be appointed by the Employees’ Side].

RESOLVED:  To note the appointment at the meeting of Cabinet on 19 May 2005 of Councillor Marie-Louise Nolan as Chair of the Forum for the Municipal Year 2005/2006.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             after notifying the Chair at the start of the meeting.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Member:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members present.

Councillor Currie declared a personal interest in that he was a lifelong member of UNISON.  Councillor Toms declared a personal interest in that he was a lifelong member of the NUT.

RESOLVED: To note that the following interest was also declared:

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED:  That (1) in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the following agenda items be admitted late to the agenda by virtue of the special circumstances and grounds for urgency detailed below:-

(2) agenda item 15 be considered as the first item of substantive business;

(3) agenda items 13 and 16 be considered together; and

(4) all items be considered with the press and public present with the exception of the following items for the reasons set out below:

To appoint a Vice-Chair to the Forum for the Municipal Year 2005/2006.

[Note: The Vice-Chair is to be appointed by the Employees’ Side].

RESOLVED:  That Shankar Sivashankar, an employee side representative, be appointed as Vice-Chair for the Municipal Year 2005/2006.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 19 April 2005, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 19 April 2005, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record, subject to the following amendment:

Minute 136 – Staff Survey and Strategy for People Progress Report

Add “Several Members offered to join staff in a refuse collection”.

To note the matters arising from the last meeting of the Forum.

(i)         Minute 136 - Staff Survey and Strategy for People Progress Report

A representative of UNISON reported that following discussions with employees, arrangements had been made for Members to participate in a refuse collection.

(ii)         Minute 141 - Attacks on the Integrity of the Branch and its Officers

It was reported that no discussions had taken place to review the facilities agreement with UNISON.

RESOLVED:  That the matters arising from the last meeting of the Forum be noted.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions were received at this meeting under the provisions of the Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

Report from UNISON.

A representative of UNISON advised that a report relating to this item had not been distributed with the agenda papers, as UNISON had been informed that the report dealt with matters that did not fall within the Forum’s terms of reference.  The representative of UNISON expressed the view that the Middle Management Review (MMR) process was having an adverse effect on staff, and requested the Forum to consider the report.  The Chair informed Members that she had been advised that the report considered matters that were subject to ongoing procedures relating to individual employees.  At the suggestion of UNISON the Forum,

RESOLVED:  To (1) withdraw reports relating to the Middle Management Review from the agenda; and

(2) hold a special meeting before the summer recess to consider issues surrounding the Middle Management Review.

Report of the Executive Director (Organisational Development).

The Forum received two reports of the Executive Director (Business Connections), the first of which detailed the outcome of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Management Inspection 2005 and provided Members with an action plan that had been developed to address the issues arising from the inspection.  The second report provided information on action being taken to address the issue of Stress at Work.

An officer reported that the HSE had visited Harrow Council on 31 January 2005 for a two-week inspection of the Council’s health and safety procedures.  Members were referred to the post-inspection Action Plan at page 7 of the third supplemental agenda.  The action plan had been developed in response to the HSE’s findings, in line with the Council’s obligations.  It was added that the HSE would return after one year to chart the progress made by the Council.  An officer also reported that the Health and Safety Partnership Board, consisting of Health and Safety ‘champions’ from each directorate, had been charged with monitoring progress on the action plan and ensuring that the directorates were adhering to the Council’s procedures.  A representative of UNISON felt that staff needed to be involved in the process.  An officer clarified that the Partnership Board was an attempt to tackle health and safety on a strategic level and added that it was in its initial stages.  The Chair added that health and safety was not solely a human resources issue but rather a matter of importance across the Council.

A representative from UNISON warned the Forum of the seriousness of problems relating to stress.  It was the UNISON representative’s view that the level of stress experienced by employees was a result of the culture that had developed within the Council’s management.  It was added that some UNISON members had reported significant levels of stress and pressure from work.  The Forum was advised that a Stress Strategy Group had been established to monitor the issue on a regular basis.  A Member from UNISON welcomed the Forum’s commitment to dealing with the issue and emphasised that health and safety should be a top priority for Members and officers.

A Member expressed concern that the issue had not been to Cabinet, given that it was a corporate matter that affected the culture of the Council.  Following further discussion, it was suggested that a report on stress could be submitted to the Cabinet meeting on 28 July 2005.

RESOLVED: That progress on the Action Plan be reported at each meeting of the Forum.

Report of the Director of Human Resources and Organisational Effectiveness.

The Forum received a report of the Executive Director (Organisational Development), which provided details of the Council’s recruitment and selection procedures.  UNISON representatives expressed concern at the recruitment and selection practises carried out across the Council and stressed that such practises could have a negative impact on service delivery.  The Forum’s debate centred on the levels and reasons for temporary appointments and the number of agency workers employed and their impact on the Council’s budget.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Report from UNISON.

Members received a confidential report of the Executive Director (Business Connections), following a request from the Forum at its previous meeting.

RESOLVED:  That the Forum refer Recommendation 1 of the report to the Constitutional Review Working Group for consideration.

Report from UNISON

The Forum considered a confidential report in this matter from UNISON.

RESOLVED:  That the Forum receive an information item reporting progress in the implementation of the action plan at a future meeting.

RESOLVED:  That a Special Meeting of the Forum to discuss the Middle Management Review be held on Thursday 21 July 2005 at 7.30pm.

In accordance with the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 6.7 (Part 4F of the Constitution) it was

RESOLVED: At 10.00 pm to continue until 10.15 pm.