Agenda and minutes

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2020 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2020 were agreed and would be signed at the next available opportunity.

The Committee considered proposed changes to the Code of Conduct for Officers, which had been reviewed to ensure it had clear processes and procedures regarding officers’ conduct.

Members reviewed the Code and, in view of recent changes to the Speak Up Policy and Member & Officer Protocol, it was suggested that the wording at paragraph 13.3 be updated to ensure staff were encouraged to raise any issues within the parameters set out in these documents.

The Committee considered the section of the Code addressing Political Neutrality and it was suggested that a reference to residents of the borough should be inserted to paragraph 7.1. It was also advised that managers had recently received political awareness training and the training would be reviewed on a regular basis.

It was advised that, following a request at the Joint Staff Consultative Group meeting, the Monitoring Officer had confirmed that he was happy with the current provisions at paragraph 19.4 concerning hospitality offered by other local authorities or public bodies.

RESOLVED that the revised Code of Conduct for Officers, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, as amended, be adopted, with the wording to be finalised in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Committee.

The Committee was informed that the Member & Officer Protocol had been revised to ensure good working relationships between elected members and officers. The revised Protocol included a new section to reflect the changes to the Speak Up Policy agreed by the Committee in January 2020, which provided for specific councillors to be reporting options for raising a concern under the Policy. The section added to the Member & Officer Protocol reflected that any concerns of wrongdoing raised by officers with the relevant Members in accordance with the Speak Up Policy would not be treated as a breach of the Protocol.

It was noted that the numbering of the document would be updated once all changes had been finalised.

RECOMMENDED to the Full Council that the revised Member Officer Protocol, as set out at Annex A to these minutes, be adopted. 

The Committee considered a revised Family Friendly Policy, which had been reviewed to ensure there was clarity around processes for maternity, adoption, paternity, parental, shared and bereavement leave, all of which were encompassed by the Policy.

It was advised that, when it had considered the Policy at its meeting on 24 September 2020, the Joint Staff Consultative Group had requested that a list of abbreviations be added to the Policy.

The Committee considered the Policy and noted the proposal to update wording in paragraph 7.1.2 to reflect different family structures.It was also agreed to add wording to paragraph 7.2.2 to provide some flexibility in respect of the 28 days’ notice required for changing timing of paternity leave.

Members agreed that the Policy would be benchmarked against other authorities’ family friendly policies and a report on this comparative information would be brought to future Joint Staff Consultative Group and Employment Committee meetings.

RESOLVED that

(i)        the revised Family Friendly Policy, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, as amended, be adopted; and

(ii)      a report containing benchmarking information be brought to future meetings of the Joint Staff Consultative Group and Employment Committee

The Committee considered proposed changes to Terms and Conditions of Employment which had been updated to reflect recent employment law changes.

RESOLVED that revised Terms and Conditions, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, be adopted.

To agree the minutes of the Appointments Sub Committee meeting held on 5 August 2020 and ask the Chairman of this meeting to sign the minutes.

The minutes of the Appointments Sub Committee meeting held on 5 August 2020 were agreed and would be signed by the Chairman of the Sub Committees at the next available opportunity.

The Committee considered its Work Programme for the remainder of the municipal year.

RESOLVED that the Work Programme for 2020/21, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, be agreed.

The Committee is advised to RESOLVE that, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the ground that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as set out below:

In accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the press and public were excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the ground that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as set out below:

Minute                Paragraph(s)

22/EC                 3

23/EC                 3

24/EC                 3

To receive a verbal update on the recruitment of a Chief Executive.

The Committee was updated on the progress of the recruitment to the post of Chief Executive.

The Committee considered a report setting out a proposal to enter into an agreement with Elmbridge Borough Council to share the Monitoring Officer function. It was advised that the initial agreement would be for a trial period of 6 months to provide both Councils with the opportunity to assess whether the arrangement was working and whether they wished to continue with the arrangement.

The Committee noted the terms under which the agreement would be made with Elmbridge BC. It was agreed to update the draft agreement to ensure there was detail provided on how sickness absence and leave would be managed and, if not already specified, how the matter would be managed in the event that the Monitoring Officer left the employment of this Council.

RECOMMENDED that

(i)        the Council enters into an agreement with Elmbridge Borough Council to provide the Monitoring Officer function, on the terms set out in the agenda report, as amended; and

(ii)      authority be delegated to the Executive Head of Transformation to complete the agreement with Elmbridge Borough Council.

To review those items or parts thereof which can be released as information available to the public.

The Committee reviewed the reports which had been considered at the meeting following the exclusion of members of the press and public, as it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information.

RESOLVED that the report and draft agreement relating to 23/EC remain exempt for the present time but that the decision be made public.