Belfast City Council Policy and Resources (Personnel) Sub-Committee Minutes 21 March 2005
From Nigov
B3515
Policy and Resources Committee
Monday, 21st March, 2005
MEETING OF POLICY AND RESOURCES (PERSONNEL) SUB-COMMITTEE
Members present: Councillor M. Clarke (Chairman); and Councillors W. Browne, McCarthy, Molloy, Morgan, Patterson and Rodgers.
In attendance:
- Mr. P. McNaney, Chief Executive;
- Mr. S. Black, Head of Human Resources;
- Mrs. C. Christy, Principal Human Resources Advisor (Development); and
- Mr. J. Heaney, Committee Administrator.
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of 28th February, which had been printed and circulated, were taken as read and signed as correct.
Expression of Sympathy
The Chairman (Councillor M. Clarke), on behalf of the Sub-Committee, expressed sympathy and condolences to Councillor Rodgers on the recent death of his mother. She also conveyed the Members’ sympathy and condolences to Councillor Crooks on the recent death of her mother.
Review of Overtime
The Sub-Committee considered the undernoted report in relation to the proposed baseline levels of overtime working in each Council Department.
The Head of Human Resources informed the Members that, as a result of proposed changes to service delivery methods in the Council’s Departments, it was possible that there might be some variation in the figures set out in the foregoing report and in this regard he highlighted, in particular, the additional overtime which might be required initially for the implementation of the three-bin waste collection system.
A Member voiced concern that the Development Department, unlike other Council Departments, had not shown any reduction in proposed overtime working in 2005/2006 and he expressed the view that this was not satisfactory, particularly since such overtime working was not required in order to deliver front line services.
In response, the Chief Executive stated that the level of overtime working required in the Development Department had been sanctioned by the Development Committee and represented a very small percentage of the overall total in the Council. He stated that five areas on the Council accounted for 75% of all the overtime worked and that to effectively reduce the overtime budget it would be important to focus on these areas. He elaborated further on the issue of overtime working and in this regard referred to the Council’s Improvement and Efficiency Agenda. He stated that this would attempt to identify amongst other issues, measures to reduce the level of overtime worked. He informed the Members that the Policy and Resources Committee would be considering the Council’s Medium-Term Financial Plan and he suggested that cost savings achieved through a reduction in overtime working would permit additional financial resources to be utilised to improve the delivery of Council services.
After further discussion, during which the Chief Executive indicated that it would be necessary for the Council to set clear, achievable targets to be implemented by Chief Officers in respect of a reduction in overtime costs, the Sub-Committee decided that effective efficiencies could only be introduced and overtime levels reduced only when all of the Departments of the Council accepted that the issue had to be tackled corporately with no exceptions being made in terms of individual services. The Sub Committee agreed that the Chief Executive, in conjunction with the Director of Corporate Services and the other Members of the Chief Officer’s Management Team, be directed to take adequate steps to ensure that all Departments, without exception, contribute to a reduction in overtime working costs in the sum of £250,000 in total during the financial year 2005/2006, subject to there being no reduction in frontline services and to Health and Safety measures being unaffected. The Sub-Committee agreed further that reports in respect of overtime working be submitted on a quarterly basis for its consideration.
Agency Workers
Review of Agency Workers
The Sub-Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 28th February the Head of Human Resources had indicated that he would submit a report providing an analysis of the need for the use of agency workers across the various Council departments and outlining a number of measures that would facilitate a reduction in the use of such workers.
The Head of Human Resources informed the Sub-Committee that each Council Department had been requested to provide information in respect of the reasons why agency staff were being used, details of permanent vacancies and any additional relevant information. Accordingly, he reported that 42% of agency workers were covering for permanent vacancies. However, it was anticipated that these posts would be filled when the ongoing recruitment exercises had been completed within the next six months. He reported also that a number of posts, including those relating to thirty-six fitness coaches currently filled by agency workers, would be filled within the next three months. Such measures would lead to a reduction of 109 in the number of agency workers, in the first instance.
The Sub-Committee was reminded further that, at its meeting on 13th December, it had agreed to increase, by 10%, the number of permanent posts of Clerk/WPO. The Head of Human Resources stated that the additional employees, when appointed, would reduce by fifteen the number of agency staff who were engaged to cover for long term illness, maternity and secondments. In addition, a successful outcome to the ongoing negotiations in respect of the Client/Contract split had the potential to further decrease by forty the number of agency workers. The afore mentioned measures would therefore, reduce significantly the number of agency staff employed by the Council resulting in a reduction of 160 by September, 2005.
Several Members expressed concern that, despite repeated requests, there appeared to be no reduction in the level of agency workers being employed by the Council. A further Member expressed concern in regard to the time period involved in recruiting permanent members of staff and suggested that six months was an unacceptable lengthy period.
In response, the Chief Executive stated that, in order to reduce the number of agency workers employed by the Council, there was a need to establish a managed corporate programme, with dedicated resources and clear, achievable targets. He suggested that a reduction of 160 within six months was a clear and achievable target. With reference to the filling of vacant posts, he informed the Members that the manner in which the Council made decisions in this area resulted in a timescale of at least three months being necessary to fill vacant posts. He indicated that a possible contributory factor to the use of agency workers had been Departments’ reluctance to fill vacant posts prior to the completion of negotiations in respect of the Client/Contract split and to the establishment figures for each Department being finalised.
After further discussion, the Sub-Committee agreed that the matter of the employment of agency workers be considered at a special meeting, to be held at the earliest opportunity on a date to be agreed in conjunction with the Chairman, to which the Chief Executive and the relevant Departmental Directors would be invited, to outline their proposals to reduce the numbers of agency staff employed within the respective Departments.
Monthly Report on Agency Workers
The Head of Human Resources submitted a report, copies of which had previously been circulated, which provided, on the basis of Departmental location, information in respect of the number of agency workers employed during the week ended 25th February, in the clerical, operative, craft and professional/technical categories. He reported that the figure of 266 agency staff employed at that date represented an overall increase of five staff from the previous month. In terms of full time equivalent posts, the figure of 184.6 represented an increase of six.
After discussion, the Sub-Committee noted the information which had been provided.
Human Resource Section Business Plan
The Sub-Committee noted the contents of the Human Resource Section’s Business Plan for the year 2004/2005 which set out the sections priorities for the year and highlighted the key performance indicators against which the section’s performance would be measured. The Sub-Committee noted also a copy of the plan would be made available to Members by the section upon request.
Meeting with Trades Union Officials
The Sub-Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 27th September, it had agreed that the next in a series of meetings with full-time Trades Union Officials would be held on Wednesday, 13th April.
The Head of Human Resources stated that a discussion agenda would be co ordinated with the relevant Trades Union Officials and he suggested that items for inclusion on the agenda should include, Trades Union Consultation and Resourcing, the Client/Contract split, overtime working, the use of agency workers, absence and further development programmes.
At its meeting on 27th September, the Sub-Committee had agreed further that a briefing session, to apprise Members of the agenda items for discussion, be arranged to take place at 12.30 p.m. on 13th April, immediately prior to the meeting with the Trades Union Officials.
After discussion, the Sub-Committee approved the aforementioned agenda items and agreed that a further meeting in the series be held on 13th October, 2005.
National Strike Ballot in respect of Changes to Public Sector Pension Schemes
The Head of Human Resources informed the Sub-Committee that the Council had been served with notice that Trades Union Members within the workforce had been balloted in relation to strike action on 23rd March as part of a national campaign protesting against changes to Public Sector Pension Schemes. He reported that new regulations, which did not apply as yet to Northern Ireland, sought to implement a number of amendments to the Pension Scheme, including raising the earliest age of pensionable retirement from age 50 to 55 and standardising to 65 years the age at which a non-reduced pension could be taken. The strike ballot had closed on 14th March, following which Trades Unions had been required to give five days’ notice should the strike proceed on 23rd March.
The Head of Human Resources reported, however, that the Unions had advised that the Deputy Prime Minister had indicated a willingness to enter into further negotiations with the Unions at a National level in respect of changes to Public Sector Pension Schemes and it was anticipated that no strike action would be taken on 23rd March.
The Sub-Committee noted the information which had been provided.
Quarterly Return of Sickness Absence
The Head of Human Resources submitted a report, copies of which had previously been circulated, outlining the Quarterly Return of Sickness Absence in the respect of the various Council Departments for the period from October till December 2004. The report, which compared the return against the same quarter during the previous year and which provided projected figures against the annual benchmark, was presented in a format which would permit comparison to be made with other Public Sector Organisations.
It was reported that the average number of days’ absence per person during the quarter, at 4.9 days, represented an increase from the figure of 3.84 days for the comparative quarter in the previous year and an increase from the second quarter of the current year which stood at 3.95 days.
The Head of Human Resources pointed out that the current absence figures within the Council remained unacceptably high and added that absence control would continue to be a priority to be addressed by Management. He reported that the Human Resources Section was investigating currently examples of best practice in the management of long-term sickness absence.
After discussion, during which several Members suggested that the protracted negotiations in respect of the Client/Contractor split and issues relating to the Review of Public Administration were contributory factors in respect of long-term absences, particularly, within the plus 55 age category, the Sub-Committee noted the contents of the quarterly return of sickness absence and the comments of the Head of Human Resources thereon.
The Council’s Joint Consultative Committee
The Sub-Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 4th April, 1995, it had approved the establishment of a Belfast City Council Joint Consultative Committee, together with a draft constitution, subject to the agenda and minutes of each meeting of the Consultative Committee being tabled for the information of the Sub-Committee. Accordingly, the agenda and minutes of the meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee which had been held on 17th February, copies of which had previously been circulated, were noted by the Sub-Committee.
Standing Order 56 – Employment of Relatives
In accordance with Standing Order 56, the Head of Human Resources recommended that the Sub-Committee consent to the appointments of Miss J. Collier, Mr. W. Trimble and Mr. J. Sadlier to the posts of Front of House staff at the Belfast Waterfront Hall. The persons being appointed were related to existing officers of the Council.
The Sub-Committee granted the consent sought.
Chairman
