Agenda and minutes

 No members of the public registered to speak.

 There were no declarations of interest.

 There were no urgent items.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meetings held on 6 November 2019, 18 March 2020 and 6 May 2020 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2020 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2020 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

To consider the staff pay award for 2020/21.

Consideration was given to a report of the Chief Executive which addressed the pay claim submitted by the trade unions for the year 2020/21. The report recommended a pay award of 2.75% for staff to be applied to all pay grades (inclusive of the Training and Apprentice pay grades) with effect from 1 April 2020.

The proposals contained in this report sought to balance prudent financial decision making with recognition of the value of the Council’s staff prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic and the need for the Council to remain competitive in the recruitment market place. As TVBC is not party to the national pay bargaining arrangements for local government; its pay framework is based on locally agreed pay arrangements for all employees.  However, the “national award” is always a point of reference.

As part of the Pay Claim Unions were requesting that the Council pay employees an amount towards additional homeworking costs as a monthly expense, an amount of £40 was suggested at the meeting.  It was reported that there were already plans in place to use its local small recognition payments scheme to acknowledge the role of employees who had contributed to the Covid19 effort. The relevant employees will receive the payments in September.

Resolved:

That a staff pay award of 2.75% be made.  The increase is to be applied to all pay spine points, inclusive of the training and apprenticeship grades, with effect from 1 April 2020.

To appoint Sub-Committees to deal with appeals and ethic matters.

Resolved:

1.  That a Redundancy Appeals Sub-Committee of the General Purposes Committee be established comprising four members to deal with redundancy appeals and that Councillors A Dowden, Hamilton, P North, and Meyer be appointed to the Sub-Committee.

2.  That an Employment Appeals and Ethics Sub-Committee of the General Purposes Committee be established comprising five members to deal with all other appeals to members by staff relating to employment matters (save for redundancy matters) as well as matters of an ethical nature concerning Members as delegated on 25 July 2012 and that Councillors Baverstock, Cross, Hamilton, K North and P North be appointed to the Sub-Committee.

To approve the Council’s Scheme of Delegations to Officers.

Resolved:

That the Scheme of Delegations to Officers annexed to the report to Annual Council in so far as it applies to the powers and duties of the General Purposes be approved.