Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2016 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Charlie O-Macauley. Councillor Alison Moore attended in his absence.

None

None

None

None

The committee received a report from the Head of Estates Management, Chris Smith, which was presented by the Director of Resources, Anisa Darr. The report concerned the process for consultation with members on the management of and improvements to the Hendon Town Hall and, where applicable, how decisions would be referred to General Function Committee.

The committee discussed the threshold of expenditure which would be appropriate to require officers to consult with group leaders and the chairman of the committee. The committee agreed that expenditure exceeding £5,000 would be appropriate in the circumstances.

RESOLVED that General Functions Committee agrees that council officers will consult with Group Leaders and the Chairman of this Committee of any items of expenditure needed exceeding £5,000 in relation to facilities impacting Members at Hendon Town Hall. Group Leaders or the Chairman of General Functions Committee will then have 14 days to confirm if they wish any proposal to be referred to the next appropriate General Functions Committee meeting.

The committee received a report from the Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service, Andrew Travers, which was presented by the Director of Human Resources, Graeme Lennon, together with the Deputy Chief Executive, John Hooton.

This report concerned a review of the pay, grading and terms and conditions of council staff and staff in community schools. The review aimed to make the pay and reward system simpler, fairer and more flexible, while rewarding performance.

The committee noted the results of consultations conducted between 8 February 2016 and 8 March 2016. Subject to the committee’s agreement, it was proposed that implementation of the revised pay, grading and terms and conditions would be 1 October 2016 for council staff and 1 April 2017 for school based staff.

Helen Davies (Branch Chairman) addressed the committee on behalf of Barnet Unison Trade Union.

There were several detailed questions raised by members on matters contained in the report, which were answered by officers.

Taking account of comments made by members, the chairman proposed the following amendments to the report recommendations:

-       that recommendation (c) be amended to offer voluntary health screening to all staff between the ages of 45 and 50 on a bi-annual basis and over 50 on an annual basis.

-       that recommendation (e) be amended to clarify that the revised pay structure would be implemented for council staff and community school staff currently earning below the maximum grade of £55,384.00 (Grade L).

-       that recommendation (g) in the report “that senior managers retain their delegated authority to within the council’s appointment policy to appoint employees at a salary within the appropriate grade for the job to reflect local conditions and circumstances” be deleted.

-       that recommendation (i) in the report (to become (h) following the aforementioned deletion) be amended to remove the need for an annual information report to be presented to committee.

The proposed amendments were agreed unanimously. The recommendations, as amended, were agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED that the General Functions Committee agrees:

a)    that a review of the Staff Annual Performance Appraisal Scheme be undertaken to ensure that it remains fit for purpose and this is delegated to the HR Director to complete(paragraph 6.3.2.1);

b)   that the Council continues to invest in its future managers through appropriate management development programmes (paragraph 6.3.2.1);

c)    that voluntary health screening should now be offered to all staff aged between 45 and 50 years on a bi-annual basis and annually to all staff aged over 50 years to cover checks that are not available as part of the nationally available NHS check (paragraph 6.3.3.2) with effect from 1st April 2017. Voluntary health screening for employees under 45 will be considered as part of the employee benefits scheme outlined in the report);

d)   that the Council continues to offer an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to all staff (paragraph 6.3.3.2);

e)    that the Council implements the revised pay structure outlined in paragraph 6.3.2.3 for Council staff and Community School staff currently earning below the maximum grade of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

The committee received a report from the Director of Human Resources, Graeme Lennon report which updated the General Functions Committee on the current London Living Wage hourly rate of pay and recommended that the council adopted an equivalent amount as the Barnet Living Wage Supplement from 1 April 2016.

The committee amended the report recommendation to clarify that it would agree to apply an equivalent amount of the London Living Wage.

RESOLVED that the General Functions Committee agrees to apply the equivalent of the current London Living Wage rate of £9.40 per hour to be its minimum rate of pay for all employees with effect from 1 April 2016.

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 the Inglis Consortium LLP.

RESOLVED that in respect of the vacancy on the Inglis Consortium LLP, that the General Functions Committee:

1a.    appoints the Strategic Director of Strategy and Communications to the vacancy on the Inglis Consortium LLP;

b.        authorises Barnet Council to provide to the officer appointed, when acting as its representative on the Inglis Consortium LLP, an indemnity in respect of any claims against the respective officer, arising as a result of carrying out their duties subject to the provisions of the Local Authorities (indemnities for Members and Officers) Order 2004; and

c.        notes that the council has professional indemnity insurance cover.

2.      Requests that a report be presented to a future General Functions Committee meeting concerning a policy on indemnities for council representatives on outside bodies.  

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 9 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:

There were no urgent items of business.

Councillor Richard Cornelius, however, moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman, Councillor Joan Scannell, for her chairing of the committee. Councillor Scannell made suitable acknowledgement and thanked both members for their work and officers for their support.