Agenda and minutes

Venue: New Council Chamber, Town Hall, Foster Avenue, Beeston NG9 1AB

Contact: Email: committees@broxtowe.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

52.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest in any item on the agenda.

Minutes:

Councillor J W McGrath declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 7 as a family member was employed by Liberty Leisure Ltd, minute number 57 refers, and also in item 6 as a local businessman, item 56 refers.

 

53.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 216 KB

The Committee is asked to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2018.

Minutes:

The minutes from the meeting on 12 December 2018 were confirmed as a correct record.

54.

REFERENCES pdf icon PDF 97 KB

54.1

Local Joint Consultative Committee

10 January 2019

Review of the Driving at Work Policy

 

The Joint Committee considered the proposed Driving at Work Policy. The Joint Committee thanked officers for their work on the Policy.

 

The report and Policy are circulated separately with this agenda for the information of the Committee.

 

            RECOMMENDED to the Policy and Performance Committee that the Driving at Work Policy be approved. 

Minutes:

10 January 2019

Review of the Driving at Work Policy

 

The Committee considered the proposed Driving at Work Policy. The Joint Committee had thanked officers for their work on the Policy.

RESOLVED that the Driving at Work Policy be approved.

54.2

Local Joint Consultative Committee

10 January 2019

Agency Workers Policy

             

The Agency Workers Policy had been reviewed in light of a change to working practice, whereby the procurement process had been centralised.  This was to minimise risk to the Council, ensure good working practices were observed and to enable the monitoring of the use of agency staff.

 

The report and the Policy are included for the information of the Committee.

 

RECOMMENDED to the Policy and Performance Committee that amendments to the Agency Workers Policy to the Conditions of Service for employees.

 

Minutes:

10 January 2019

Agency Workers Policy

 

The Agency Workers Policy had been reviewed in light of a change to working practice, whereby the procurement process had been centralised.  This was to minimise risk to the Council, ensure good working practices were observed and to enable the monitoring of the use of agency staff.

 

RESOLVED that amendments to the Agency Workers Policy be added to the Conditions of Service for employees.

54.3

Local Joint Consultative Committee

10 January 2019

Equal Opportunities Policy

 

The equal Opportunities Policy was considered with regard to changes made to reflect relevant legislative changes, in particular the Equalities Act 2010 and changes to internal Council procedures. 

 

The report and Policy are circulated separately with this agenda for the information of the Committee.

 

RECOMMENDED to the Policy and Performance Committee that amendments to the Equal Opportunities Policy be added to the Conditions of Service for employees.

 

Minutes:

10 January 2019

Equal Opportunities Policy

 

The Equal Opportunities Policy was considered with regard to changes made to reflect relevant legislative changes, in particular the Equalities Act 2010 and changes to internal Council procedures.

 

RESOLVED that amendments to the Equal Opportunities Policy be added to the Conditions of Service for employees.

 

54.4

Local Joint Consultative Committee

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY POLICY

 

The Joint Committee noted that the Equality and Diversity Policy had been reviewed to ensure that it reflected legislative changes, Council procedures and the Corporate Vision and Values 2016 – 2020.  It was also noted that the Council was a Disability Confident Level 2 employer.

 

The report and Policy are circulated separately with this agenda for the information of the Committee.

 

RECOMMENDED to the Policy and Performance Committee that amendments to the Equality and Diversity Policy be added to the Conditions of Service for employees.

 

Minutes:

10 January 2019

Equality and Diversity Policy

 

The Committee noted that the Equality and Diversity Policy had been reviewed to ensure that it reflected legislative changes, Council procedures and the Corporate Vision and Values 2016-2020.

 

RESOLVED that the amendments to the Equality and Diversity Policy be added to the Conditions of Service for employees.

 

54.5

Local Joint Consultative Committee

10 January 2019

Flexible Retirement Policy

 

The Joint Committee considered deletions to the Flexible Retirement Policy, in particular, the removal of a time limit of the length of flexible retirements, potentially forcing employees to retire.  It was noted that no other Nottinghamshire authorities have a time limit on such arrangements and that no employee had been asked to leave the authority as a result of the time limit.

 

The report and Policy are circulated separately with this agenda for the information of the Committee.

 

RECOMMENDED to the Policy and Performance Committee that amendments to the Flexible Retirement Policy be added to the Conditions of Service for employees.

 

Minutes:

10 January 2019

Flexible Retirement Policy

 

The Joint Committee had considered deletions to the Flexible Retirement Policy, in particular, the removal of a time limit of the length of flexible retirements, potentially forcing employees to retire. 

 

RESOLVED that amendments to the Flexible Retirement Policy be added to the Conditions of Service for employees.

 

54.6

Local Joint Consultative Committee

10 January 2019

Formal and Informal Consultation with Trade Unions

 

Consideration was given to the Formal and Informal Consultation with Trade Unions Policy, which had been reviewed and streamlines to reiterate the need for close, positive and consultative relationship with Trade Unions.  A minor amendment was agreed by the Joint Consultative Committee.

 

The report and Policy are circulated separately with this agenda for the information of the Committee.

 

RECOMMENDED to the Policy and Performance Committee that amendments to the Formal and Informal Consultation with Trade Unions Policy be added to the Conditions of Service for employees.

 

Minutes:

10 January 2019

Formal and Informal Consultation with Trade Unions

 

Consideration had been given to the Formal and Informal Consultation with Trade Unions Policy, which had been reviewed and streamlined to reiterate the need for close, positive and consultative relationship with Trade Unions. 

 

RESOLVED that the amendments to the Formal and Informal Consultation with Trade Unions Policy be added to the Conditions of Service for employees.

 

54.7

Local Joint Consultative Committee

10 January 2019

Learning and Development Policy

 

The Joint Committee considered the changes to the Learning and Development Policy which took out references to Investors in People, streamlined processes and made it easier for employees to access training funded by the apprenticeship levy.  The role in learning and development in succession planning was discussed, as was the commitment of the authority to train staff.  It was noted that the training budget had not been cut in the last financial year.   

 

The report and Policy are circulated separately with this agenda for the information of the Committee.

 

RECOMMENDED to the Policy and Performance Committee that amendments to the Learning and Development Policy be added to the Conditions of Service for employees.

 

Minutes:

10 January 2019

Learning and Development Policy

 

The Joint Committee had considered changes to the Learning and Development Policy which had removed references to Investors in People, streamlined processes and made it easier for employees to access training funded by the apprenticeship levy.

 

RESOLVED that amendments to the Learning and Development Policy be added to the Conditions of Service for employees.

 

55.

BEESTON TOWN CENTRE REDEVELOPMENT pdf icon PDF 128 KB

To update members on progress on The Square Phase 2 in Beeston.

 

Minutes:

The Committee was informed by the Chair that the item would be considered later in the agenda as there were items to be considered that were likely to be exempt.

 

56.

BUSINESS RATES - NEW RETAIL DISCRETIONARY RATES RELIEF pdf icon PDF 321 KB

To request that the Finance and Resource Committee adopt the proposed new business retail rates relief scheme for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 financial years. 

 

Minutes:

The Government announced in the Autumn Budget on 29 October 2018 that it would provide business rates relief of up to one-third to all occupied retail properties with a rateable value of £51,000 or less in each of the years 2019-20 and 2020-21.

 

As this was a measure for 2019-20 and 2020-21 only, the Government would not change the legislation around the reliefs available to properties. However, the Government would, in line with the eligibility criteria set out guidance, reimburse local authorities that use their discretionary relief powers, introduced by the Localism Act (under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, as amended) to grant relief.

 

RECOMMENDED to Council that the appended New Retail Discretionary Relief Scheme for financial years 2019-20 and 2020-21 be approved.

 

57.

REVIEW OF CORPORATE PLAN PROGRESS AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE pdf icon PDF 367 KB

To report progress against outcome targets linked to Corporate Plan priorities and objectives and to provide an update as to the latest financial performance as measured against the budget.

 

Minutes:

The progress against outcome targets linked to Corporate Plan priorities and objectives and an update as to the latest financial performance as measured against the budget was noted. Members queried figures in relation to Community Safety and were informed that future reports could consider information from neighbouring boroughs.

58.

MANAGEMENT RESTRUCTURE UPDATE pdf icon PDF 21 KB

To update Councillors on arrangements concerning the Management restructure.

 

Minutes:

Members received an update on arrangements concerning the management restructure following decisions taken by this Committee on 12 December 2018.

 

RECOMMENDED to Council that the interim Deputy Chief Executive be appointed to the role of section 151 officer, and agree to nominate members to appointment panels for the remaining three senior Management positions.

59.

WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 21 KB

To consider items for inclusion in the Work Programme for future meetings.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Work Programme be approved.

 

60.

EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS

The Committee is asked to RESOLVE that, under Section 100A of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1and 2 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED that, under Section 100A of the Local Government Act, 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

 

61.

LEGAL RESTRUCTURE

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the restructure of Legal Services as at appendix 2 of the report be approved.

 

62.

APPLICATION FOR VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCY

Minutes:

The Committee noted the exercise of the Chief Executive’s urgency power to grant the voluntary redundancy on 31 December 2018.

 

63.

APPLICATION FOR VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCY

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the request for voluntary redundancy and the resultant restructure of the Human Resources and Communities teams be approved.

64.

HOUSING DELIVERY MANAGER

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the engagement of an Interim Housing Delivery Manager be approved.

 

65.

INTERIM REGENERATION MANAGER

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the continued engagement of the current Interim Regeneration Manager, on revised terms backdated to 1 January 2019, be approved.