Minutes

Staffing Committee

6.00 p.m. Wednesday, 3rd August 2016

Civic Office, 133 Berw Road, Pontypridd

Present:

Councillor K. Bennett (in the Chair on appointment)

Councillor A. Bevan

Councillor T. Bates

Councillor B. Fox

Councillor M. Harvey

Councillor C. Hull

Councillor B. Morgan

Officer In attendance:

Gethin Williams –Chief Executive Officer

1. Appointment of Chair of Committee for the Municipal Year 2016/17

AGREED:

To appoint Councillor K. Bennett as Chair of Committee for the Municipal Year 2016/17.

2.Appointment of Vice Chair of Committee for the Municipal Year 2016/17

AGREED:

To appoint Councillor A. Bevan as Vice Chair of Committee for the Municipal Year 2016/17.

3.Apologies for Absence

Councillor K. Woodward.

4.Declarations of Interest

In respect of item 6.1 - Pension Contributions Councillors A. Bevan, K. Bennett, B. Morgan and B. Fox – members of the Rhondda Cynon Taff CBC pension fund

Item no. 8.3 Gethin Williams, Chief Executive in respect of confidential report – Chief Executive’s retirement

Gethin Williams declared a personal and pecuniary interest in respect of item no 8.3 in the Chief Executive’s report. Given his duties as Chief Executive and Responsible Financial Officer, he commented that he believedhe was best placed to remain in the meeting, in part, to deal and address any legal/financial or personnel issues that Committee may wish to raise with regard to the report, but would leave the meeting if considered appropriate.

5.Well Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015

AGREED:

To note the duty imposed by the Act when decisions were taken.

6.Chief Executive’s Report

6.1Pension Contributions

Members considered the information regarding the deficit in the Rhondda Cynon Taff CBC pension fund and that a further valuation was being undertaken with a report being available in December 2016/January 2017.

AGREED:

To note the report.

6.22016/2017 Pay Scales and Allowances – Salary Increases

and LGPS Bulletin 142 – March 2016

AGREED:

To note the information and for the avoidance of doubt that following the recent pay rises and the staff’s contract of employment to reconfirm pay scales of staff salary increases including that of the Chief Executive.

6.3Bank Holidays Extra Days 2016

Attached were details of the Bank Holidays/Extra Days for 2016.

AGREED:

To note and accept the report.

6.4Completion of Medical Certificate for current Members of the All Wales Pension Funds and Restrictions on Exit Payments

AGREED:

To note the reports.

7.RESOLVED:

That under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 (as amended),the public and accredited representatives of newspapers be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in by virtue of the paragraph specified against the item namely personal information relating to staff members.

8.Chief Executive’s Confidential Report

8.1Sickness Figures – April – March 2016

DECISION REQUIRED:

To note the report.

8.2Staffing Review

Members considered and reviewed the Council’s staffing structure.

AGREED:

To note the report and agree, but to defer consideration of continuing to employ AT and BW to a later Staffing Committee Meeting.

8.3Chief Executive – Retirement

The Chief Executive presented his report to Committee and dealt with the several issued raised by Members and options presented. A further option was considered as to whether the Chief Executive would continue his employment in the event of Members agreeing to employ an additional senior officer to assist in dealing with his workload.

Before a decision was taken regarding the options involving increasing the hours of the Chief Executive, and whether to employ additional staff to support the Chief Executive the Chief Executive left the meeting and only returned after the decision had been taken by the Committee.

On his return the Committee offered the Chief Executive an opportunity to continue his employment with the Council by increasing his hours to 24 hours per week but that offer was declined.

It was also pointed out that Committee had been granted delegated powers to decide the hours of work, person specification and job description advertising the post, and other actions to deal with the Chief Executive’s resignation letter. (Note – increased budgetary/salary issue would need to be referred to the Policy and Finance Committee).

AGREED:

(a)To appoint a new Chief Executive on a 24 hours per week contract based on the job description and person specification set out in the report.

(b)To provide training for AT and BW to assist JF with her work tasks and who in turn could assist the new Chief Executive in that person’s workload.

(c)To advertise the Chief Executive post through Rhondda Cynon Taff CBC through the Interlink jobsite and by contacting the adjoining City Council and County Borough Councils.

(d)That the Chief Executive meet with the Chair and Vice Chair of Committee and Councillor B. Fox to agree suitable “Event” training courses for AT and BW and that funding for such training would be considered at the Policy and Finance Committee.

The meeting closed at 7.45 p.m.

Signed: ______

Councillor K. Bennett

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Staffing Committee

3rd August 2016