Agenda and minutes

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2021 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2021 were agreed and would be signed by the Chairman at the earliest opportunity.

The Committee was informed that the Information Security Policy set the framework for protecting and securing the Council’s information assets. The Policy, which had last been reviewed in March 2020, comprised a number separate documents which covered the rules and guidance to be applied by staff.  A further review had been carried out and the recommended changes were as set out at Annex A to the agenda report. In addition to the recommended changes, it was agreed that Paragraph 3 of the Policy would be amended to state that staff must attend scheduled training on an annual basis.

RESOLVED that the revised Information Security Policy, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, as amended, be agreed.

The Data Protection Policy set out the framework for compliance with the requirements of the Data Protection legislation and provided guidance to all council staff to help them understand the importance of their role in maintaining the security and confidentiality of personal data.The Data Protection Policy had been reviewed and the recommended changes were set out at Annex A to the agenda report.

The Committee considered paragraph 1.5 of the Policy which referred to ensuring that, where work was outsourced, the companies used complied with the same standards as would be expected if the work was completed by the Council. This paragraph had been inserted following review by the Joint Staff Consultative Group and Members recognised that, as the wording was currently aspirational, it should be further reviewed.

RESOLVED that

(i)        subject to the revision of paragraph 1.5, the revised Data Protection Policy, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, be agreed; and

(ii)      authority be delegated to the Executive Head of Transformation to amend the wording of paragraph 1.5, after consultation with members of the Committee by email.

The Committee was informed that, although Records Management was briefly covered in the Information Security and Information Governance Strategy, adopting a specific Records Management Policy would provide a more robust management of records. Members considered a Records Management Policy which set out the standards for good records management to help ensure that the Council had the right information at the right time to make the right decision and help ensure it met its obligations under Data Protection legislation.

The Committee reviewed the Policy and recognised that it placed responsibilities on councillors to manage records in accordance with the Policy and related procedures. In view of this responsibility, it was recognised that councillors would need access to a secure area in which to securely store documentation, which was not currently available to them. The Committee therefore agreed to defer the adoption of the Policy in order to further look at options for Members to securely store documentation.

RESOLVED to defer agreement of the Records Management Policy pending the assessment of an option for Members to access a secure document storage solution.

The Social Networking Policy aimed to provide guidelines for the effective and safe use of social networking to promote and develop the Council’s services, and to ensure employees and workers were aware of how they should conduct themselves when using social networking sites both at work and outside of work.

The Social Networking Policy was regularly reviewed and the current review had recommended changes as set out at Annex A to the agenda report.

RESOLVED that the revised Social Networking Policy, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, be agreed.

The LGA’s National Graduate Development Programme, which had been running since 2002, provided for local authorities to employ graduates on a two-year contract, where they undertook at least three different service placements. The LGA provided a complimentary training and development offer which included working towards an Institute of Leadership and Management Level 7 qualification. The LGA carried out the central multi-stage recruitment exercise and would refer successful applicants to local authorities to carry local interviews. It was noted that the creation of a graduate post would require a budget increase.

The Committee endorsed the proposal and suggested that it be extended with a view to recruit up to 3 graduate posts on a rolling programme.

RECOMMENDED to Full Council that

(i)        the Council creates three new posts of ‘Graduate Trainee’ and that it seeks to recruit to these roles via the Local Government Association’s National Graduate Development Programme; and

(ii)      the budget be increased accordingly.

The Committee was reminded that in October 2020, the Council had agreed appointment of Gavin Ramtohal as the shared Monitoring Officer with Elmbridge Borough Council. This had been on the basis 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.

It was reported that the Monitoring Officer was satisfied that the agreement was working well and, as far as he was aware, Elmbridge BC was satisfied with the arrangement. The Committee was therefore asked to continue the contract as permitted by the existing contract on a rolling basis, meaning that the contract would continue from May 2021 until either Council decided to end the contract by giving the other at least one month’s notice. It was recognised that any decision to continue with the shared Monitoring Officer was also subject to Elmbridge BC’s agreement.

Members were updated on the recruitment to vacant positions within the Legal Services team and requested that the shared arrangement be reviewed again in 6 months’ time, at which time further financial details concerning the arrangement with Elmbridge BC and the vacancies would be presented in an exempt report to the Committee.

RESOLVED that

(i)        the arrangements for sharing a Monitoring Officer with Elmbridge Borough Council continue on a rolling basis, with one month’s notice for either party; and

(ii)      a further report be brought to the Committee in 6 months’ time containing financial details about the Monitoring Officer arrangement and the vacancies within the Legal Services team.

The Committee noted Urgent Action undertaken in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation of Functions to Officers concerning the creation of the role of Head of Planning and disestablishing the role of Executive Head of Regulatory. It was advised that, as the decision was ultimately the responsibility of the Full Council, the Mayor and Leader of the Council had also authorised the Urgent Action taken.

RESOLVED to the urgent action taken under the Scheme of Delegation of Functions to Officers.

To agree the minutes of the Appointments Sub Committee meeting held on 30 September, 12 October and 19 October 2020 and 17 February 2021 and to ask the Chairman of this meeting to sign the minutes.

The minutes of the Appointments Sub Committee meetings held on 30 September 2020, 12 October 2020, 19 October 2020 and 17 February 2021 were agreed and would be signed by the Chairman of the Sub Committees at the next available opportunity.

The Committee considered a draft Work Programme for the 2021/22 municipal year. It was agreed to bring forward the Climate Change Policy item to the meeting in July 2021.

RESOLVED that the Work Programme for 2021/22, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, as amended, 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)

45/EC                   1

46/EC                   1

Note: Minute 45/EC is a summary of matters considered in Part II of the agenda, the minutes of which it is considered should remain confidential at the present time.

Report to be circulated separately.

The Committee received a report relating to an exempt matter.

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

The Committee reviewed the report 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 information relating to minute 45/EC remains exempt.