Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed Sally Kipping, the new Head of HR, Performance & Communications, to the meeting.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2022 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2022 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee considered proposed revisions to the Leave and Special Leave Policy. The changes principally concerned clarification on how part-time leave was calculated, an additional requirement for carried forward leave to be used by the end of the first quarter of the next leave year, and formalising arrangements for Time Off In Lieu.

RESOLVED that the revised Leave and Special Leave Policy, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, be adopted.

The Committee considered proposed revisions to the Expenses Policy. The Policy covered the financial management of expenses in line with Financial Regulations.

Members were advised that reference to professional subscriptions had been removed from the Policy as this was now incorporated in Staff Terms & Conditions of Employment. It was also advised that business mileage rates were the same for electric vehicles, in line with HMRC policy.

In addition to the changes proposed in the agenda report, it was agreed to correct a typographical error in paragraph 5.3 of the Policy.

RESOLVED that the revised Expenses Policy, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, as amended, be adopted.

The Committee considered a Salary Sacrifice Scheme, which brought together information and processes for all salary sacrifice schemes available within the Council.

Members were informed that it was not intended to continue with the Electric Car Scheme supplier discussed at the meeting in July 2022 and discussions were underway with a potential alternative supplier; the policy had consequently been updated to include more generic references to the Council’s supplier in place of a specified organisation. It was also agreed to make minor amendments to paragraphs 7.2, 7.4 and 7.5 of the Scheme.

RESOLVED that the Salary Sacrifice Policy and Procedure, as attached at Annex A to this report, as amended, be adopted.

The Committee was informed that each pension fund was required to have a discretionary policy, which needed to be kept under review. Surrey County Council had not issued an updated Pensions Discretions Policy and there had been no changes to the Pension Regulations.

RESOLVED that no amendments be made to the current Pensions Discretions Policy.

The Committee considered proposed revisions to the Car and Road Users Policy. The Policy set out how employees using their car for work were compensated and categorised them as either essential car users or casual car users.

It was agreed to check that the mileage rates payable presented in the table at paragraph 5.5 of the Policy were consistent with those detailed in the Expenses Policy.

RESOLVED that, subject to clarification on mileage rates at paragraph 5.5 of the Policy, the revised Car and Road Users Policy and Procedure, as attached at Annex A to the agenda report, be adopted.

The Committee received a report setting out the Council’s Pay Policy Statement for 2022-24. It was reported that the Council was required, in accordance with Section 38(1) of the Localism Act 2011, to review and update its Pay Policy Statement on an annual basis but the item was being reported earlier than scheduled due to the recent pay award.  

RECOMMENDED to Full Council that the Pay Policy Statement 2022-24 be adopted, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report.

To receive a verbal report on the Speak Up Policy.

The Committee was reminded that in 2020 the Council’s Whistleblowing Policy had been subject to a fundamental review and had been renamed as the Speak Up Policy. At this time it had been agreed that the Committee may receive an annual report on the number of incidences of wrongdoing reported under the Policy.

In 2022 there had been 23 instances of staff speaking up reported. As this was understood to be the first time such data had been collected no comparative information was available; however, the Staff Survey taking place in April 2023 would provide an opportunity to further understand staff confidence in speaking up about inappropriate behaviour.

The Committee discussed the Policy and it was suggested that it would be beneficial to categorise the data collected. It was also recognised that, whilst the Policy required the information to be provided by service area, this would not be possible whilst preserving the anonymity of the staff speaking up. It was therefore agreed to add a review of the Policy to the Committee’s Work programme.

RESOLVED to note the report and add a review of the Speak Up Policy to the 2023/24 Work Programme.

The Committee discussed its work programme for remainder of the 2022/23 year. It was agreed to add the Speak Up Policy to the June 2023 meeting’s agenda. The proposal to add an additional meeting on 16 February 2023 to consider a single item was also noted.

RESOLVED that the work programme for the remainder of the 2022/23 municipal year, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, be agreed and the Speak Up Policy be added to the draft Work Programme for 2023/24.