Agenda and minutes

Venue: Bromley Civic Centre

Contact: Graham Walton  0208 461 7743

Items
No. Item

71.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND NOTIFICATION OF SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mary Cooke, who was replaced by Councillor Kira Gabbert, and from Councillor Robert Evans.

72.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

73.

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING THE MEETING

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, questions to the Chairman of this Committee must be received in writing 4 working days before the date of the meeting.  Therefore please ensure questions are received by the Democratic Services Team by 5pm on Wednesday 6th February 2019..

 

Minutes:

No questions had been received.

74.

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 27 NOVEMBER 2018 pdf icon PDF 94 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 27th November 2018 be confirmed.

75.

STAFF PAY AWARD 2019 pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Under the local terms and conditions of employment framework, the Committee was required to make a recommendation on the annual staff pay award to full Council. The pay award review was now part of the Council’s budget planning process - this was a key driver for coming out of the national/regional pay negotiating frameworks. 

 

Additional documents from the trades unions were circulated, including acceptance of the Council’s pay offer from UNISON and the GMB.

 

A Member suggested that all staff could be brought up to London Living Wage levels relatively cheaply - the cost for the remaining 23 members of staff below this level was £26k. However, officers explained that the actual cost would be much higher because of the impact on other grades. 

 

The issue of increasing workloads and the need for a reasonable work/life balance was raised. Officers considered that policies were in place to monitor and manage workloads, and it was up to managers to follow these policies. Staff could also raise issues with Human Resources if necessary. The social care caseload promise was an example of workload being closely monitored.

 

It was noted that annual monitoring information on the gender pay gap would be published after the end of March - the Committee requested that this information be circulated to them. A Member commented that there was no gender pay gap, in the sense that men and women were paid the same amounts for the same jobs.

 

A Member suggested that the Committee should receive a report on the working conditions of staff at a future meeting, to show what the Council was doing to improve working conditions and retain its staff.

 

RESOLVED that

 

(1) Full Council be recommended to approve the following:

 

(i)  A flat 2.25% pay increase for all staff (excluding teachers who are covered by a separate statutory pay negotiating process)

 

(ii) A further increase for lower paid staff as follows inclusive of the flat rate 2.25% increase.

 

Spinal Points

Proposed increase inclusive of the flat rate pay award of 2.25%

4-17

6%

18

5%

19-22

4%

23-30

3%

 

(ii)  That the Trade Union’s pay claim for staff be rejected (see paragraph 3.7 of the report and the Appendices.)

(2) It is noted that, as in the previous years since coming out of the nationally/regionally negotiated frameworks, Bromley staff will receive the 2019/20 pay increase in time for the April pay.

 

(3) A report be made to a future meeting on the working conditions of staff.

76.

PAY POLICY STATEMENT 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 153 KB

Minutes:

The Committee considered the council’s draft Pay Policy Statement for 2019/20.

 

A Member asked whether the feedback from peers mentioned in relation to the appraisal process for chief officers in paragraph 3.6 of the report was anonymous. The Director of Human Resources was requested to provide further information.

 

A Member commented that she had concerns about the merited pay awards, as these payments were not consolidated and therefore did not count towards staff pensions. Members were reassured that training and support was available for managers on appraisal processes. It was also confirmed that, where necessary, a market premium could be paid to attract and retain certain key staff.  

 

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to approve the 2019/20 Pay Policy Statement.

77.

MEMBERS ALLOWANCES SCHEME 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 94 KB

Minutes:

Report CSD19012

 

The regulations governing Members’ Allowances required that, before the beginning of each financial year, the Council should make a scheme of allowances for that year, and the report detailed the proposed allowances for 2019/20. The allowances had remained frozen since 2009 due to the economic circumstances and the pressure on the Council’s budgets, and most Members considered that it was now reasonable to allow an increase. The Chairman noted in particular that the allowances for the Leader and Portfolio Holders were considerably below the levels recommended by the 2018 London Councils Independent Panel recommendation.

The Mayoral and Deputy Mayoral Allowances were not part of the scheme, but were usually considered in conjunction with it. A Member commented that he believed that there was greater scope for Mayor to reclaim tax on their expenses as Mayor. 

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to approve the Members Allowances Scheme 2019/20 and the Mayoral and Deputy Mayoral allowances, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report, with an increase in all allowances in line with the proposed increase in officer salaries of 2.25%.

 

(Note: At the Council meeting on 25th February 2019, the Members Allowances Scheme was approved as recommended but with an amendment that an allowance of £52 per meeting should be made to members of Plans Sub-Committees in place of the fixed annual allowance. There was also an error in the report - the proposed allowance for Chairmen of Plans Sub-Committees should have read £2,832. The Labour Group stated that they would give their increases to charity.)

78.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS - ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 464 KB

Minutes:

Report CSD19015

 

As part of its consideration of the Members Allowances Scheme, the Committee received reports from the Executive Assistants appointed by the Leader for 2018/19. These reports were intended to illustrate the work undertaken by Executive Assistants, who were in receipt of an annual special responsibility allowance of £3,575. Councillor Gary Stevens, Executive Assistant for Resources, Commissioning and Contract Management, had not submitted a report, but he had, on 7th February 2019, attended the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee to be scrutinised on his work, and the draft minutes from that meeting were tabled.

 

It was suggested that the Constitution Improvement Working Group should examine the role of the Executive Assistant, and in particular whether they should have formal objectives and whether they should be delegated executive powers.

 

Members commented that they had heard about an officer-led Transformation Project, but they were not aware of any further detail. The Chairman stated that she had asked for more information on this.  

 

A Member commented on the playgroup established by Councillors Nicky Dykes and Aisha Cuthbert, and inquired whether attendance was good. The report stated that the session was well attended, but the Chairman offered to find out more detail.  

 

RESOLVED that

 

(1) The reports from Executive Assistants be noted.

 

(2) The Constitution Improvement Working Group be requested to consider whether Executive Assistants should have formal objectives set at the start of each Council year, and whether they should be allowed some measure of executive authority, and the outcome of their consideration be reported back to this Committee.

79.

PROGRAMME OF MEETINGS 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 60 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report CSD19014

 

The Committee considered the proposed Programme of Meetings 2019/20. The programme broadly followed previous years, and assumed no changes to the various committees and sub-committees that would be appointed by Members at the annual Council meeting.

 

Members proposed one change - to swap the Contracts and Commissioning Sub-Committee meeting on 9th July 2019 and the Education, Children and Families Select Committee meeting on 5th June 2019. The Chairman of the Development Control Committee requested that her Committee’s dates be reconsidered to ensure that they were well placed throughout the year.

 

RESOLVED that

 

(1) Subject to the change outlined above, and to clarification of the dates for Development Control Committee, the Programme of Meetings 2019/20 be agreed.

 

(2) The Director of Corporate Services be authorised to adjust the programme in accordance with any changes made to committees by Members, and to make minor corrections to the programme as necessary.

 

(Note: An additional meeting of the Development Control Committee was agreed for 23rd July 2019.)

80.

WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 74 KB

Minutes:

Report CSD19015

 

The Committee considered its work programme for the 2018/19 Council year. It was noted that in paragraph 3.3 of the report, the words at the end of paragraph 3.3 relating to the current meeting should be deleted.

81.

LOCAL PENSION BOARD: MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 6TH NOVEMBER 2018 pdf icon PDF 86 KB

Minutes:

The draft minutes of the Local Pension Board meeting held on 6th November 2018 were received.

82.

PENSIONS INVESTMENT SUB-COMMITTEE: MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS HELD ON 7TH NOVEMBER 2018 AND 14TH JANUARY 2019, EXCLUDING EXEMPT INFORMATION pdf icon PDF 92 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The draft minutes of the Pensions Investment Sub-Committee meetings held on 7th November 2018 and 14th January 2019, excluding exempt information, were received.

83.

AUDIT SUB-COMMITTEE: MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 14TH NOVEMBER 2018, EXCLUDING EXEMPT INFORMATION pdf icon PDF 146 KB

Minutes:

The draft minutes of the Audit Sub-Committee meeting held on 14th November 2018, excluding exempt information, were received.

 

84.

APPEALS SUB-COMMITTEE: MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 14TH JANUARY 2019, EXCLUDING EXEMPT INFORMATION pdf icon PDF 45 KB

Minutes:

The draft minutes of the Appeals Sub-Committee meeting held on 14th January 2019, excluding exempt information, were received.

 

85.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AS AMENDED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) (VARIATION) ORDER 2006 AND THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

The Chairman to move that the Press and public be excluded during consideration of the items of business listed below as it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the Press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Press and public be excluded during consideration of the items of business referred to below as it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the Press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

 

The following summaries

refer to matters

involving exempt information

 

86.

CESSATION OF ADMISSION BODY - DEFICIT REPAYMENT PLAN

Minutes:

The Committee agreed an indicative deficit repayment plan for an organisation ceasing to be a Pension Fund admission body.

87.

PENSIONS INVESTMENT SUB-COMMITTEE: EXEMPT MINUTES 7TH NOVEMBER 2018 AND 14TH JANUARY 2019

Minutes:

The draft exempt minutes of the Pensions Investment Sub-Committee meetings held on 7th November 2018 and 14th January 2019 were received.

88.

AUDIT SUB-COMMITTEE: EXEMPT MINUTES - 14TH NOVEMBER 2018

Minutes:

The draft exempt minutes of the Audit Sub-Committee meeting held on 14th November 2018 were received.

 

89.

APPEALS SUB-COMMITTEE: EXEMPT MINUTES - 14TH JANUARY 2019

Minutes:

Extracts from the draft minutes of Appeals Sub-Committee meeting held on 14th January 2019 were received.