Agenda and minutes

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED: To note there were no declarations of interest made by Members in relation to the business to be transacted at this meeting.

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 Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

RESOLVED:  That (1) in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the following item be admitted late onto the agenda by reason of the special circumstances and grounds for urgency stated:

(2)  the following item be deferred until the next ordinary meeting for the reason stated below:

(3)  all items be considered with the press and public present.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 November 2006 be deferred until the next Ordinary meeting of Licensing and General Purposes Committee.

[Note:  The 27 November 2006 minutes are published on the Council's intranet and website].

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 September 2006 be deferred until the next ordinary meeting of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee.

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy, which sought approval of the proposed new strategy for early retirement (ie. redundancy, efficiency of the service and Regulation 31) with effect from 1 April 2007.

An officer drew Members’ attention to the proposed recommendation which was to approve the new strategy for early retirements, and in particular to:

(i)                   note that the discretion to award compensatory added years was being removed with effect from 1 April 2007; and

(ii)                 agree to continue to base severance payments on actual week’s pay and apply the Council’s current enhancement policy.

It was noted that the Trade Union had been involved in negotiations and a response summarising their views was tabled at the meeting.

Responding to questions, the Director of Financial and Business Strategy explained that the cost of redundancy currently fell on the revenue fund, and was spread over a maximum period of three years.  The new strategy aimed to reduce the total cost and also spread the cost over a longer period.  The new strategy included changes to the treatment of “strain on the pension fund” costs.  She further went on to explain that an actuarial valuation took place every three years, which took into consideration liabilities such as retirement benefits and assets, namely the fund’s investments, and, at the previous valuation, 82% of the Authority’s assets were covered.  The valuation would identify the liability gap which then dictated the employer’s contribution for the following three years.  It was noted that the policy was required to be in place prior to the organisational structure changes.

RESOLVED:  That the new strategy for early retirements be approved, and in particular:

(i)                   that the discretion to award compensatory added years be removed with effect from 1 April 2007;

(ii)                 to continue to base severance payments on actual week’s pay and apply the Council’s current enhancement policy.

Report of the Head Of Human Resources.

RESOLVED:  That this item be deferred to the next meeting of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee, due to be held on 5 March 2007.

(See also Minute 33).