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ITEM CG3(b)

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE – 27 MAY 2004

Minutes of the Meeting commencing at 2.00 pm and finishing at 3.40 pm

Present:

Voting Members:

Councillor Ken Harper - in the chair

Councillor Jean Fooks
Councillor Steve Hayward (in place of Councillor Kieron Mallon)
Councillor Brian Hodgson
Councillor John Howell (in place of Councillor David Wilmshurst)
Councillor Ray Jelf (in place of Councillor Mrs J. Heathcoat)
Councillor Bob Johnston
Councillor Jim Moley
Councillor C.H. Shouler
Councillor Sylvia Tompkins

Other Members in Attendance

Councillors Margaret Godden and Dermot Roaf

Officers:

Whole of meeting:
G. Malcolm (Chief Executive’s Office).

Part of meeting:
M. Lloyd (Chief Executive’s Office); S. Munn, R. Pickavance (Resources).

The Scrutiny Committee considered the matters, reports and recommendations contained or referred to in the agenda for the meeting and agreed as set out below. Copies of the agenda and reports are attached to the signed Minutes.

    29/04. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS

    Apologies for absence and temporary appointments were received as follows:

    Apology from

    Temporary Appointments

    Councillor Mrs Heathcoat

    Councillor Jelf

    Councillor Mallon

    Councillor Hayward

    Councillor Wilmshurst

    Councillor Howell

    30/04. SOCIAL INCLUSION SCRUTINY REVIEW

(Agenda Item 4)

The Scrutiny Committee considered the report of the Social Inclusion Review Group (CG4). Prior to debate a video was shown which had been produced by the Group and introduced the Review’s key findings.

The Review Group then presented the report and its recommendations to the Scrutiny Committee. Page 4, paragraph 7 of the paper was amended by the deletion of ‘exclusion’ and substitution of ‘inclusion’.

The following key points arose in debate:
    • there were issues around:

      • the work and corporate role of the Social Inclusion Group;
      • the principle of a Social Inclusion Champion and whether such a role was best placed with a non-executive member or an officer;
      • the use of performance indicators to measure progress;

    • the Review should emphasise:

      • the lack of a ‘joined-up’ approach to Social Inclusion, which should be a ‘golden thread’ running through the Council’s work;
      • that a positive attitude towards the promotion of Social Inclusion throughout the Council was essential;

    • there were a range of views that social inclusion as a core value should not be ‘singled out’ as for example a mission statement or Council logo;

    • the Review’s findings in relation to the business community’s commitment to social inclusion in the Community Strategy should be clarified;

    • attention was drawn to the remaining gaps in the implementation of the best Value review of Social Inclusion and Audit follow-up;

    • members were asked to confirm in writing their detailed comments on the draft Review report. (Submissions by Councillor Shouler and Councillor Howell are set out in the Annex (download as .doc file) to these Minutes).

Review Group members and supporting officers were thanked for their work.

The Scrutiny Committee AGREED:

    1. (on a motion by Councillor Johnston seconded by Councillor Shouler and carried by 9 votes to 0) to ask the Social Inclusion Scrutiny Review Group to consider the report in the light of comments by the Committee, Councillor Margaret Godden, Councillor Dermot Roaf and the Social Inclusion Group with a view to achieving a form of words to command consensus; and

    2. to consider the Review Report at the Scrutiny Committee’s meeting on 15 July 2004 for submission, if agreed, to the Executive in September 2004.

    31/04. HUMAN RESOURCES STRATEGY

(Agenda Item 5)

Raising Our Performance 2 included a commitment to develop and adopt a ‘fresh approach’ to Human Resources (HR). One of the actions was to develop and implement an HR Strategy which met the needs of the Council and its employees.

The Scrutiny Committee considered an outline (CG5) of the approach taken and the process proposed to communicate and consult on the draft HR Strategy. At this stage the draft Strategy was being developed, building on the work of the HR Strategy Group. Early and wide communication and consultation was appropriate and necessary.

Mr Munn and Ms Pickavance outlined the draft HR Strategy. Members were invited to attend a seminar which had been arranged on 14 June (pm) at Templeton College for Council Managers to give an overview of the Strategy and seek feedback on implementation priorities.

The Scrutiny Committee AGREED (on a motion by Councillor Johnston seconded by Councillor Fooks and carried nem con ) to note that a draft HR Strategy had been prepared with a fresh approach to HR and would be brought to the Committee for comment to the Executive once it had been through the necessary communication/consultation processes both internally and externally.

 

in the Chair

Date of signing 2004

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