Agenda and draft minutes

Agenda and draft minutes

Overview and Scrutiny Human Resources Sub Group - Monday, 24th February, 2020 1.45 pm

Venue: Council Antechamber, Level 2, Town Hall Extension. View directions

Contact: Mike Williamson 

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 191 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the HR Subgroup meeting held on 29 November 2019.

Minutes:

Decision

 

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2019 as a correct record.

2.

Our People Plan pdf icon PDF 106 KB

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer

 

This report provides an update on the development of a plan on a page version of Our People Plan in support of Our People.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Sub Group considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer that provided Members with an update on the development of a plan on a page version of the Our People Plan in support of Our People.

 

The Head of HR Operations referred to the main points and themes within the presentation which included: -

 

·         Providing context and an overview of the Our People Plan;

·         Presenting the Plan on a Page; and

·         Next steps.

 

Some of the key points that arose from the Sub Group’s discussions were: -

 

·         Staff personal responsibility as employees needed to be included in the Our People Plan;

·         More information was requested on the strategy to support and develop BAME staff into senior roles;

·         What were the identified barriers to succession planning, noting the changes to job roles and descriptions; and

·         Noting the length of time previous departmental reviews had taken and the impact this had on staff.

 

In response to the comment regarding staff development and career progression, the City Solicitor stated that as the lead officer with responsibility for equality she was actively engaging with a number of staff groups to progress and inform this important area of work and to deliver an inclusive and meaningful action plan. The Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer reiterated the importance of this work and commented that the findings of the BAME review would also inform the development of that action plan and noted that the findings of the review was scheduled to be reported to the Sub Group at an appropriate time.

 

The Chief Executive stated that the Our People Plan reflected and built upon the existing Our Manchester Values. She further commented that specific Directorate Work Force Development Strategies were being progressed to support staff recruitment and retention, in addition to a corporate approach to staff development. She further commented that the findings of the BAME review and the Our People Plan would inform the approach to workforce development.

 

The Head of HR Operations stated that it was recognised that there were many levels of bureaucracy across the organisation and the intention was to train managers to ensure that they were equipped with the appropriate skills set to deliver their role effectively and make decisions. The Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer commented that by empowering managers to make decisions this would support the delivery of any future departmental reviews, noting that whilst she acknowledged the comment from the Chair regarding timescales to implement departmental reviews and restructures, there were examples of where these had been delivered in a timely manner.

 

The Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer further stated that the Our Manchester approach supported the implementation of services delivered in neighbourhoods, with staff working in multidisciplinary teams to deliver improved outcomes for Manchester residents. She added that this model of service delivery would be facilitated by managers who possessed the correct skills set and who were empowered to make decisions, commenting that the staff in HROD were well equipped to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 204 KB

Report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit

 

To review and agree the Work Programme for the Subgroup.

Minutes:

The Sub Group were invited to consider and agree the work programme. The Chair noted that this was the last meeting of the current municipal year and she invited Members to contact her with suggestions for any additional items of business that they would like to be scheduled for future meetings. The Chair stated that an item on attendance would be included for consideration at a future meeting.

 

Decision

 

To agree the work programme noting the comments from the Chair.

 

4.

Exclusion of the public

The officers consider that the following items contain confidential information as provided for in the Local Government Access to Information Act and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. The Human Resources Sub Group is recommended to agree the necessary resolutions excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of these items.

 

An appeal process exists for members of the public who wish to appeal against the officers' recommendation for confidentiality. Anyone who does wish to appeal should contact the governance officer as soon as possible (preferably at least 48 hours) before the meeting.

Minutes:

Decision

 

To exclude the public during consideration of the following items which involved consideration of exempt information relating to consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under the authority, and public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

5.

Outcome of the 2019 BHeard Survey

Report of the Interim Director HROD

 

This report details the outcomes of the 2019 BHeard staff survey and actions to be taken.

Minutes:

The Sub Group considered the presentation that provided Members with an overview of the outcomes of the 2019 BHeard survey. Officers responded to questions from Members.

 

Decision

 

To note the presentation.