Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 2 December 2015 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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The Chairman presented a Member’s Item concerning the recent replacement of audio visual technology installed in the Council Chamber. The item asked for further information on the reasons for the replacement technology and the procurement process complied with. Discussion ensued concerning the importance of consultation with Members in respect of changes to the facilities at Hendon Town Hall.

Members expressed an interest in receiving more information about the technology installed in the Council Chamber (as referred to in the Member’s Item) together with the agreements pertaining to the shared use of meeting rooms at Hendon Town Hall. The Committee requested that reports on both be presented to a future meeting together with a proposal to ensure that consultation with Members would become a routine consideration when changes were proposed which may affect the facilities used by Members at Hendon Town Hall.   

RESOLVED that the General Functions Committee requests the following reports:

1.         the recent replacement of audio visual technology installed in the Council Chamber to be presented to the next meeting; and

2.         the agreements pertaining to shared use of the meeting room facilities at Hendon Town Hall be presented to a future meeting.

The Committee received a report in the name of the Proper Officer for Registration. The report sought determination of an application for Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, Hendon NW4 4BG to be licensed as a venue for marriages and civil partnership registrations in accordance with the legislation outlined in the report.

RESOLVED that the General Functions Committee approves the application for Hendon Town Hall to renew its approval for the solemnisation of civil marriages and registration of civil partnerships for a period of three years from 13 July 2015.

The Adults and Communities Director introduced the report and highlighted the key features of the proposed restructure.

Helen Davies (Branch Chairman) and John Burgess (Branch Secretary) addressed the Committee on behalf of Barnet Unison Trade Union.

The Committee considered the report and asked questions which were responded to by both the Adults and Communities Director and the Trade Union representatives.

The Chairman proposed an amendment to the second recommendation to include the words ‘following consultation with the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee’ which was duly seconded and put to the vote.

Following consideration votes on the recommendations (as amended) were recorded as follows.

RESOLVED that:

1.            the General Functions Committee approve the proposed restructure of the Adults and Communities Delivery Unit including the deletion of existing posts and the creation of new posts as set out in Appendix 1 to the committee report; and

2.            authority to take all necessary actions to put in place transitional arrangements to ensure the continuity of business as these proposals are implemented be delegated to the Adults and Communities Director following consultation with the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee.

The Monitoring Officer and the Electoral Registration Manager presented the report on behalf of the Chief Executive (Returning Officer).

The Committee noted the notice of an enforced late polling place change in the East Barnet Ward (CBC polling district) which was provided for information.

Following discussion, the following motions were seconded, put to the vote and agreed unanimously:

a.            To refuse the proposed change within Coppetts Ward (CDB and CDD polling districts); being a proposal to combine CDB and CDD by removing the north-south border between them to create a larger single polling district (new CDB). The reason for refusal was because the proposal was liable to cause confusion to electors.

b.            To refuse the proposed change within Totteridge Ward (CFA polling district); being a proposal to locate the polling place for CFA at Totteridge Village Hall, Badgers Croft for future elections. The reason for refusal was because the proposal would not be easily accessible for pedestrians and was not served by a reliable bus route. It was believed that a high percentage of voters within the area would walk to the venue.

c.            To refuse the proposed change within Burnt Oak Ward (HTC polling district); being a proposal to locate the polling place for HTC to St Alphage Church Hall. The reason for refusal was because the proposed location was in close proximity to a park through which it was expected a high percentage of voters would access the venue and this presented a security concern.

d.            To agree the remaining proposed changes to polling place arrangements as set out in Appendix A, B and C.

RESOLVED that the General Functions Committee:

1.            approve the polling place arrangements as proposed by the Returning Officer set out in Appendix A, B and C to the committee report subject to the following exceptions:

a.            to refuse the proposed change to Coppetts Ward polling districts CDB and CDD, the reason for refusal being that the proposal was liable to cause confusion to electors.

b.            to refuse the proposed change to Totteridge Ward polling district CFA, the reason for refusal being that the proposal would not be easily accessible for pedestrians and was not served by a reliable bus route. It was believed that a high percentage of voters within the area would walk to the venue.

c.            To refuse the proposed change to Burnt Oak Ward polling district HTC, the reason for refusal being that the proposed location was in close proximity to a park through which it was expected a high percentage of voters would access the venue thus presenting a security concern.

The Director of Human Resources presented the report which asked the Committee to review the Council’s Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2016/17 and to recommend it for approval by Full Council on 1 March 2016.

The Director of Human Resources corrected a table in draft statement (Appendix A to the report) namely table 3.4 being the pay scale for the Senior Management Team. The corrected table is shown below:

RESOLVED that the General Functions Committee recommends the Council’s Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2016/17 for approval by Council on 1 March 2016.

The Committee received a report from the Director of Strategy and Communications which proposed the introduction of an Employer Supported Volunteering Scheme. The proposal arose from a commitment made in the Community Participation Strategy which had been agreed by the Community Leadership Committee (CLC) in June 2014.

It was reported that the policy and associated guidance would facilitate an opportunity for Barnet Council employees to undertake up to two days of volunteering (per annum) within the borough, remunerated by the Council. The Committee was reassured that a core principle of the initiative would be assisting employees to source volunteering opportunities with Barnet charities and for the benefit of Barnet residents.

The Committee discussed the number of days permitted within the scheme and understood the policy would be implemented as a one year pilot and as such, its impact would be assessed and reported back to the CLC.

RESOLVED that the General Functions Committee agrees the establishment of an Employer Supported Volunteering Scheme (ESV) for Barnet Council and approves the ESV policy (attached as Appendix 1 to the committee report) together with the ESV line manager guidance (attached as Appendix 2 to the committee report).

The Committee received a report in the name of the Head of Governance. The report asked the Committee to appoint a representative to a vacancy on an outside body.

Nominations were circulated in respect of a vacancy on the Henry Smith Charity. Councillor Jim Tierney was nominated on behalf of the Labour Group. Mr Adrian Korsner was nominated on behalf of the Conservative Group. Upon being put to the vote, it was declared that Mr Korsner had been appointed to the Henry Smith Charity.

RESOLVED that the following representative be appointed to a vacancy on an outside body:

The Committee received a report in the name of the Head of Governance. The report asked the Committee to nominate representatives to local authority governor vacancies on the school governing bodies listed in Appendix A to the report.

Nominations were circulated in respect of 11 schools. The nominations were uncontested.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The following representatives be nominated to vacancies on school governing bodies:

2.    Nominations to the following vacancies on school governing bodies be deferred:

The Committee received a report in the name of the Head of Governance. The report asked the Committee to consider and comment on the work programme in included as Appendix A to the report.

RESOLVED that the work programme be agreed subject to the inclusion of additional reports in response to Councillor Scannell’s Member’s Item.

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