To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meetings of the General Purposes Committee held on 29 March 2018 and 17 May 2018 (copies attached).

RESOLVED

that the Minutes of the meetings of the General Purposes Committee held on 29 March 2018 and 17 May 2018 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive from Members any declarations of interest.

None were declared.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman and any matters of communication.

The Chairman advised the Committee that Item 8: ‘Traffic Regulation Orders – Amendments to the Constitution’ had been withdrawn pending further consideration.

To receive petitions from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Part 4G of the Constitution.

No petitions were received from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Part 4G of the Constitution.

To receive any questions, statements or deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Part 4G of the Constitution.

No questions, statements or deputations were received from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Part 4G of the Constitution.

To consider an update on the current application of market rate supplements to posts across Central Bedfordshire Council.

The Committee considered a report of the Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Resources/Director of Resources which provided an update on the current application of Market Rate Supplements (MRS) to posts across Central Bedfordshire Council.  Members noted that the application of an MRS was an attempt to bridge the gap between the Council’s salary levels and the current ‘market’ rate of pay for professionals who were key to the delivery of Council services.

Points and comments included:

·                     The Assistant Director for People advised the Committee that there had been an increase in filling temporary staff roles with permanent staff.  It was also advised that social worker vacancies in particular were now lower than in other authorities.

·                     It was noted that roles within Finance had not been subject to a 3 yearly review and had been in place since the creation of Central Bedfordshire Council. 

·                     The main reasons for leaving the authority were cited as career progression or moving to a role closer to home rather than levels of pay.

·                     All roles were evaluated to ensure equal pay and that MRS was supplementary.  Applying a MRS to a post enables the Council to remain competitive with its neighbouring authorities when recruiting to posts such as Social Workers.

·                     Members were concerned that the national job evaluation system was  flawed.  It was noted that the Council had a good benchmark as to our pay being equivalent to other authorities and on a national scale.

NOTED

the annual update on the current application of market rate supplements to posts across Central Bedfordshire Council.

To consider proposed amendments to the Constitution with regard to the process for dealing with Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs).

This item was withdrawn.

To consider changes made to the Constitution during the period 1 November 2017 - 31 May 2018.

The Committee considered the report of the Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Resources which set out the changes made under the Monitoring Officer’s delegated powers to the Council’s Constitution between 1 November 2017 and 31 May 2018.

NOTED

the changes made under the Monitoring Officer’s delegated powers to maintain the Council’s Constitution, as set out in Appendix A to the report.

To consider the Committee’s work programme.

The Committee considered the work programme and noted the addition of the following two items for the meeting on 23 August 2018:-

·         Central Area Growth Board Terms of Reference (Anna Bosworth)

·         Health and Wellbeing Board Membership (Celia Shohet)

NOTED

the General Purposes Committee Work Programme subject to the addition of two new items for 23 August 2018.