Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director of Community

The Forum received a report of the Corporate Director of Community, which summarised the Council’s health and safety performance for the year 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018.  The report gave an overview of health and safety for 2017-18 financial year, as well as the last six months’ actions. An officer introduced the report and highlighted paragraphs 2.1 – 2.5, including appendix 1, details of which were set out in the report.

The Corporate Health and Safety had gone through a refresh programme and a Corporate Health and Safety Action Plan had been put in place setting out the short, medium and long term plans.  This had been signed off in July 2018 by the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee.

In January 2018, the first Corporate Health and Safety Board was held and chaired by the Corporate Director of Community.  A clear steer started to be given to move it forward in partnership with the Unions.

To support the Council’s work and commitment to Health and Safety, funding was secured for a Corporate Health and Safety Manager position on a temporary basis (6-9 months).  This position, which was expected to be in place in the New Year, would help take forward the Corporate Health and Safety Action Plan.  

The report also set out the key current issues being the redevelopment of the depot site, DNP tabled storage (from the recent manslaughter case), putting in place safe operating procedures and a recent housing reception incident.

An officer responded to various questions, as follows:

-               the flu vaccination voucher scheme offered to staff in 2014 had continued to be offered to vulnerable members of staff to help maintain staffing levels, however, he would clarify the position with Occupational Health who oversaw the scheme and inform the Member accordingly;

-               it was intended to expand on the London Healthy Workplace Charter in Harrow once the basics were in place.  The Council had been awarded the first stage of the London Healthy Workplace Charter in 2014, showing commitment in key areas, such as: corporate support, attendance management, physical activity and mental health and well-being;

-               work with Occupational Health would continue in order to identify absence/days lost and associated costs.  It would help identify trend and whether the Council was improving;

-               in relation to the comment that the report did not reflect the reality of incidents, the officer stated that the report provided an overview of incidents but that it would be possible to drill down further in order to identify individuals, particularly in relation to the comment about physical assaults.

Both the Council side and Employees’ side  representatives made the following comments:

-               the need to protect staff within the building as there appeared to be easy access into the building;

-               the need to ensure that those working at the Reception Desk, including security staff, were safe from attack.  Additionally, there was no form of protection for staff working at the Reception Desk and that a glass screen was required in order to help ensure their safety.  A Member related their experience when requiring assistance during out of hours working and explained that that there was no one available to help as the security staff member was on a break.  A Teacher representative referred to the long queues at the Reception Desk during the day which was frustrating.  She had wanted to gain access to the restricted part of the building for a meeting.  In response, the Corporate Director of Community stated that check and balances were in place and investigation continuing in relation to recent incidents.  Various arrangements were being put in place, including the review of security arrangements.  The use of body cameras for security staff was being considered.  Action Plans were being put in place with the support of the Council's Corporate Strategy Board (CSB) and the Unions were involved in the process.  A Unison representative requested feedback on safety measures being put in place by the Directorate;

-               the processes that were in place to deal with high risk areas.  The Divisional Director of Housing stated that that an appointment system was in place and he undertook to provide details of past and present systems in place to ensure safety of staff;

-               more information, such as reasons for referrals, was required on referrals to Occupational Health at paragraph 2.22 of the report.  There had been a surge in the number of referrals, particularly in recent months.  There was a great deal of information on schools and information broken down by Directorates was required; 

-               there had been 31 assaults on staff (16 of which had been in the Housing area) and information on the number of prosecutions was required.  In response, the Corporate Director of Community undertook to report back on the number of prosecutions.

The Corporate Director of Community undertook to continually improve the presentation of information on the report and welcomed feedback and suggestions to help.  The Divisional Director of Strategic Commissioning explained that the HR Service would be brought back in-house from 1 October 2019.

RESOLVED:  That the report and the comments made in the preamble above be noted.