Agenda item

Niel Fawcett, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources, Lorna Baxter, Executive Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer, and Cherie Cuthbertson, Director of HR and Cultural Change have been invited to present an update report on the Our People and Culture Strategy.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and raise any questions, and to AGREE any recommendations it wishes to make to Cabinet arising therefrom.

Cllr Neil Fawcett, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources and Cherie Cuthbertson, Director of HR and Cultural Change were invited to present an update report on the progress of Our People and Culture Strategy. Cllr Dan Levy, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation, also attended to support the report.

The Deputy Leader introduced the Our People and Culture Strategy, which aimed for fair staff treatment and more opportunities. He noted progress in reducing voluntary departures, reducing sickness absence, and strengthening apprenticeships. Restructuring top management has also created a leaner organisation and saved costs.

The Director of HR and Cultural Change outlined the Our People and Culture Strategy's four pillars: attract, thrive, grow, and lead. She reported on progress such as forming a new recruitment team, implementing updated policies and manager training, investing in apprenticeships, launching a reciprocal mentoring scheme, restructuring top management, and hiring a leadership consultant.

The Committee discussed the following question and concerns:

·       Members asked about the progress made in moving away from the traditional command structure towards matrix management within the Council. The Director of HR and Cultural Change responded that progress had been made, with matrix management beginning to take hold, particularly in areas like the Transformation Directorate, where programme management offices worked across different parts of the organisation. The Director of HR and Cultural Change noted that, although there were good examples of matrix management in practice, the transition was ongoing and would take time, as it represented a significant cultural shift for the Council.

·       Members asked whether the Council had considered donating unused apprenticeship levy funds to other companies, as this is an available option, and also requested information on trends in job applications. The Director of HR and Cultural Change responded that the Council's main use of the levy has been internal, focusing on addressing skills gaps by aligning apprenticeships with anticipated organisational needs. She reported that the Council has used approximately 85% of the levy and is considering whether some remaining funds could be allocated to voluntary organisations in Oxfordshire for workforce development in the coming year.

The Deputy Leader added that, through Enterprise Oxfordshire, the Council participates in a project that gathers surplus apprenticeship levy funds from local businesses to create additional apprenticeship opportunities throughout the county, thereby supporting workforce development beyond the Council.

·       Members observed that the report showed a reduction in staff absences, with the average dropping from 9.1 to 8.7 days per full-time equivalent, and asked if the report could include information on the financial savings achieved as a result, as well as analysis of whether absences were concentrated at particular levels of the organisation.

·       Members also observed an increase in internal movement and promotions within the Council, from 4.8% to 7%. They inquired about the presence of quantifiable targets for internal progression, as well as the existence of an internal progression framework or specific support for professional development and secondments. The Director of HR and Cultural Change responded that there was no formal target for internal promotions.

However, the Council ensured all roles were advertised internally and was considering introducing development secondments to assist staff in gaining experience for future roles. She also indicated that, during organisational redesigns, staff were encouraged to explore a broader range of positions, and flexible career development was being promoted to facilitate internal movement.

·       Members questioned whether moving talent acquisition in-house meant all recruitment would be internal, and sought clarification on agency spend, retention data, and reliance on agency staff. The Deputy Leader responded that overall agency spend had decreased but remained necessary for temporary or specialist needs, with further reductions becoming harder as the baseline is reached. Improved controls and recruitment processes have reduced agency use.

The Director of HR and Cultural Change explained recruitment is now in-house for better control, though some HR and finance tasks remained with shared services. She confirmed agency spend had stabilised after previous increases, and work continued to reduce it by improving recruitment and converting agency staff to permanent roles where possible. Retention and agency staffing data are monitored quarterly and would be shared with the committee.

·       Members inquired about the future direction of the employee engagement survey. The Director of HR and Cultural Change clarified that the Council had considered transitioning from an annual, extensive questionnaire to a quarterly pulse survey with fewer questions to better track trends and respond more promptly to staff feedback. She highlighted that the previous survey's length had contributed to a lower response rate and emphasised that the proposed approach would have supported more timely and effective organisational action.

The Committee AGREED to the following actions:

• The Director of HR and Cultural Change would make sure the data report, which includes detailed information on agency spend, is circulated after the meeting

The Committee AGREED to recommendations under the following headings:

• That the council provides a breakdown of the detail of the levels of sickness within different parts of the organisation and at different strata of the organisation.

• That the council develops a target for internal promotions.

• That the council publishes more detail over the apprenticeship levy, particularly in supporting third sector organisations.

• That the council formalises within the strategy the good working relationships with the trade union.

• That the council refers the issue of the Employee Engagement survey to the Employment Joint Consultative Committee for further discussion.

The Committee adjourned at 11:29 and reconvened at 11:40.