MEMORANDUM Date: 6 June 2006

______

To:All Members of the HR Panel
Executive Member for Performance and Resources
Alan Warner
Louise Harrington
Mary Lowten
Carole Grimwood
Katie Kennedy
Sandra Allan
Tinu Olowe
Paul Weller
Sarah Whitten
All officers listed for actions / From:CountySecretary’s Department
Ask for:Emma Lund
Ext:25563
My ref:
Your ref:

HUMAN RESOURCES PANEL

31 MAY 2006

M I N U T E S

ATTENDANCE
MEMBERS OF THE PANEL

J R Morton (Chairman), D E Billing (substituting for S A Batson), G M Cook, A D Dodd,R I N Gordon (substituting for A M R Searing), D Hewitt, E Roach (substituting for P A Ruffles), C J White (substituting for D T F Scudder), M Tucker

Upon consideration of the agenda for the Human Resources Panel meeting on 31 May2006 as circulated, copy annexed, conclusions were reached and are recorded below:

Note: No conflicts of interest were declared by any member of the Panel in relation to the matters on which conclusions were reached at this meeting.

PART 1

ACTION
1. /

Apologies for absence

1.1 /

apologies were received from P V Goggins.

2. /

MINUTES

2.1 / The minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2006 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
3. / HERTFORDSHIRECOUNTY COUNCIL PEOPLE STRATEGY
[Officer Contacts:Louise Harrington, Assistant Director, Human Resources, Tel: 01992 556653
Carole Grimwood, Assistant Director of Human Resources, Tel: 01992 556667]
3.1 / The Panel received a presentation from Louise Harrington and Carole Grimwood, Assistant Directors of Human Resources,which updated Members on the Hertfordshire County Council People Strategy 2006-2011. The presentation covered the drivers for change, the implications for people management, key objectives, resourcing, developing people, transforming the organisation, making our mark on equality/diversity and delivering the people strategy. (Copy slides appended).
3.2 / Copies of the strategy were available to Members at the meeting.
Conclusion
3.3 / The Panel noted the progress to date on the People Strategy 2006-2011.
4. / EQUALITIES STANDARD UPDATE
[Officer contact: Sandra Allan, Equalities Manager
Tel: 01992 588690]
4.1 / Sandra Allan, Equalities Manager, presented a report which updated Members on the proposed changes to the Equalities Standard for Local Government.
4.2 / Members were advised that the government is proposing to make changes to the Equalities Standard to broaden its remit to include issues relating to sexual orientation, religion/belief and age(in addition to race, gender and disability as currently). The government is also proposing to change the assessment process for achievement of the levels within the Standard from the current self-assessment process to an external assessment(at levels 3 and 5) which will need to be undertaken by specially trained auditors. Members were advised that levels 1 and 2 will need to be revisited to incorporate the new strands, and a timescale will need to be developed for a revised assessment at level 3 once the full details of the review and new guidance is released.
Conclusion
4.3 / The report was noted. Members were advised that a further update report will be brought to the Panel once the Equalities Strategy Group has considered the full implications of the changes to the Standard. / Sandra Allan
5. / EQUALITIES STRATEGY GROUP ACTION PLAN
[Officer contact: Paul Weller, Equalities Manager
Tel: 01992 588395]
5.1 / Paul Weller, Equalities Manager, presented a report which outlined the key themes of the action plan of the Corporate Equality Strategy Group (ESG) for 2006/07, following the decision at the last meeting of the Panel for the ESG to report corporately to the Panel with its action plan.
5.2 / Members noted the priorities of the ESG for the action plan as: to continue to progress through the Equalities Standard; production of the Equalities Scheme in line with legislative requirements; development of a Hertfordshire Translation and Interpretation Service; management of the Impact Needs Requirement Assessment Programme; delivery of the Diversity Strategy and delivery of the Learning and Development Strategy. Members were advised that the next step in the process is for the ESG to develop a timeframe for the work and identify key objectives and lead officers.
Conclusion
5.3 / The report was noted.
6. / RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION UPDATE
[Officer contact: Carole Grimwood, Assistant Director of Personnel, Tel: 01992 556667]
6.1 / Carole Grimwood, Assistant Director of Human Resources and Mary Lowten, Personnel Manager (Recruitment), presented the Recruitment and Retention report which updated Members on the current status of recruitment and retention since the last report to the Panel and outlined the targeted actions which havebeen taken since.
6.2 / Members notedthat staff turnover within the County Council is 13.93%. Members were advised that turnover within the catering sector is high, and this has pushed up the average for the County Council as a whole. Members noted the actions being taken to reduce turnover as outlined in part 2 of the report, and were advised that it is expected that turnover will have reduced by around 1% next year. Members also noted the impact of the ‘Growth and Change’ process on the figures for CSF.
6.3 / Members asked whether actions were being taken to retain staff after the age of 65. Louise Harrington advised that new Age Regulations, which have still to be agreed by Parliament, are being awaited and it was proposed that a report on this topic be brought to a further meeting of the panel. / Louise Harrington
6.4 / In discussion, Members questioned whether social workers are still being recruited from South Africa, and whether it is ethical to recruit social workers from countries where their skills are still needed. Members were advised that there have been developments in this respect both in terms of updated policies from the Department of Health and a Foreign Office Memorandum of Understanding, and the County Council is complying with these.
6.5 / In relation to schools recruitment and retention Members queried whether recruitment is being targeted on the shortage subjects, and also whether support is being provided to Head Teachers with regard to recruitment and retention. Katie Kennedy, Recruitment and Retention Manager, advised that there is currently no specific focus on retention in shortage subject areas, although general retention issues are supported by the Well-Being Programme for schools and work taking place on Continuing Professional Development for all school staff. New ways of increasing the pool of potential teachers for shortage subjects are also in the process of being investigated. Support for Head Teachers is provided by the Schools Workforce Development Team and School Effectiveness Advisers and there is also a telephone support line for Head Teachers through which confidential support/mentoring can be provided.
6.6 / Members noted the success of the summer playscheme, which was run for the first time in 2005 in partnership with East Herts District Council, and queried whether this scheme will be extended in future. Mary Lowten advised that it is hoped to extend the scheme to other sites in due course, including Apsley.
Conclusion
6.7 / The report was noted.
7. / DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS
[Officer contact: Emma Lund, Democratic Services Officer
Tel: 01992 555563]
7.1 / The next meeting will take place on Thursday 7 September 2006 at 10.00am.

Andrew Laycock

CountySecretary

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060531 Minutes