Wrthi'n llwytho
Y penderfyniadau fel y mae cofnodion y cyngor yn eu cofnodi. Bydd crynodeb mewn iaith glir yn dilyn pan fydd wedi'i ysgrifennu.
AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting at this point during consideration of this item as the Committee discussed exempt information of the description contained in paragraphs 14, 16 and 21 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. The public may be excluded from the meeting by resolution of the Committee pursuant to Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 during discussion of this item. AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
Apologies had been received from Cllrs Henshaw and Thomson
None received.
The minutes of the meeting held on 13/3/24 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairperson.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
Members were reminded that Cabinet approved the Workforce Strategy 2023-27 in March 2023, setting out a framework to ensure a flexible, skilled, engaged, and diverse workforce. Members scrutinised the Workforce Strategy in May 2023 and the Committee made a number of observations and 2 formal recommendations in its letter to the Cabinet. This item provided the Committee with the opportunity for its first annual monitoring of the Council’s progress in implementing the Workforce Strategy 2023-27. For this item, the Chairperson welcomed Councillor Chris Weaver, Cabinet Member Finance, Modernisation and Performance; Chris Lee, Corporate Director, Resources; Tracey Thomas, Chief Human Resources Officer and Rachael Fergusson, HR Strategy Manager. The Cabinet Member was invited to make an opening statement after which Members were provided with a presentation from Officers. The Chairperson invited questions and comments from Members. Members considered that the Workforce Strategy represents important work and significant change for the organisation going forward. Members considered it important to be able to monitor progress by reference to an action planning document. Officers advised that the current action plan is a large Excel spreadsheet updated every 6 weeks by all directorates, containing lots of acronyms. Officers added that they would have to do quite a bit of work to the document for it to be suitable for Committee’s monitoring purposes, and that what was presented to Committee was an up-to-date summary. Members welcomed the Cabinet Members suggestion of providing Committee with a list of key actions expected to be achieved by this time next year to assist with the Committee’s monitoring. Members were interested to know about the key challenges experienced over the last 12 months. Officers explained that the main challenge had been balancing the strategy actions with day-to-day business as usual, under workforce constraints. Officers added that a further challenge was widening the strategy to include schools, this is why the strategy is a 4-year strategy as it allows time to develop things correctly. Officers were keen to state that the organisation has been very supportive in what HR are doing. Members sought assurance that with the introduction of hybrid working, no member of staff would be forced to work from home and that there will always be an office-based option available. They were reassured by the confirmation that there is always capacity for staff in County Hall on any day. Additionally, Members were pleased to learn that service areas are now delivering office-based training in person for new starters and inexperienced staff. Members highlighted the importance of monitoring intersectionality and were particularly interested in monitoring equality impact on different groups, particularly women. Officers advised that all savings proposed require an Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA), looking outwardly and inwardly at disproportionate impacts on staff. The importance of quality data and being able to understand that data was emphasised. Members were advised that EIA’s are systematically made available to scrutiny committees. Members asked how Officers have handled the challenges of the budget setting process and the impact on staff, and how the workforce can be prepared for possible future political changes with the forthcoming General Election and potential further budgetary impacts . Officers acknowledged the importance of looking after staff and recognising the significance of health and well-being initiatives. Officers informed Members that all voluntary severances are backed by a business case, and managers must explain how the work will be managed post-severance. Service Areas are actively reviewing skills needs in preparation for future budget settlements and re-skilling existing staff is being factored into workforce planning. The Section 151 officer emphasised that maintaining service levels and retaining organisational resilience hinges on proactive and effective workforce planning. Members noted that staff retention is currently considered good; however, there is a need to improve the quality of data on staff and analyse it to truly understand the impact of workforce planning and gain insights into staff retention. The Committee noted that social partnership with trade unions is at the forefront of work to ensure the employee voice is heard. Members noted that there has been recent conflict with trade unions in relation to Waste Management. Members explored whether there is a risk that not all trade unions are satisfied with current arrangements. Members noted that effective social partnership is not solely focused on positive issues. Sometimes, to make progress, partnerships must agree to disagree. This approach ensures that while not all parties may be entirely content, the process remains collaborative and aimed at reaching the best possible outcomes. Members were pleased to hear that Employee Networks are becoming embedded within the organisation. Members asked for more information on how the organisation communicates with current and new employees on the importance of disclosing characteristics etc. The Committee heard that the organisation communicates with staff largely through networks. Members were assured of the confidentiality of all data held. For example, HR cannot widely see data that networks hold on individuals, and a manager will not know the age of a staff member. Members welcomed the good progress in engaging with difficult to reach groups. Members were pleased to hear the positive overall picture regarding the Workforce Strategy, finding the comments on work placements particularly interesting. Members endorsed the new approach taken with regards to trainees and work experience. AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting at this point during consideration of this item as the Committee discussed exempt information of the description contained in paragraphs 14, 16 and 21 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. The public may be excluded from the meeting by resolution of the Committee pursuant to Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 during discussion of this item. AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
Members were advised that this item provided an opportunity for pre-decision scrutiny of an update to Cabinet on progress with Phase 1 City Hall maintenance works, the funding implications for Phase 2 works and completion of the Full Business Case for the Council’s core office strategy. The Chairperson explained that the Committee was joined for this item by Councillor Pete Wong, Chair of the Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee, acknowledging his committee’s remit for scrutiny of heritage buildings. Members were reminded that Appendices 1-6 to Appendix A are not for publication as they contain exempt information of the description contained in paragraphs 14, 16 and 21 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. As this pertained to all decisions proposed in the report the meeting would go into closed session at a later point in the scrutiny, to provide an opportunity for Members to refer to information in the 6 confidential appendices. For this item, the Chairperson welcomed Councillor Russell Goodway, Cabinet Member for Investment and Development; Neil Hanratty, Director of Economic Development; Donna Jones, Assistant Director County Estates; and Chris Barnett, Operational Manager Major Projects. The Cabinet Member was invited to make an opening statement after which Members were provided with a presentation from Officers. The Chairperson invited questions and comments from Members. Members were pleased to see the commitment to maintaining this historic building for the city. In addition to seeking public and private investments, Members considered that the project's success should not only be about the financial aspects but also about upholding the building's significance for the city's benefit. Members raised concerns regarding the parameters that will be implemented for the utilisation of City Hall while considering various possibilities. It was noted that the building is presently utilised for conferences and conventions etc. and generates an annual income of £1.1 million for the Council. Nevertheless, despite its prosperous performance, the building is operating at a loss of £2 million. The Committee sought reassurance regarding the anticipated timeline for the re-opening of the Chamber and meeting rooms. It was acknowledged that extensive projects like this one are frequently subject to delays and are challenging to forecast. Members noted the expressed preference for a deadline of January 2026 for the gradual re-opening of the Council Chamber and meeting rooms. Members noted this was especially important considering that renovation work on a historic building necessitates CADW approval, which often results in additional work and subsequent delays. Members were pleased to learn that any future agreements made with external parties will either preserve the Council Chamber or guarantee the ability to convene Full Council meetings in the Chamber. Members sought clarification that the Full Business Case will encompass the entire building. Members were informed that the Council is currently dedicated to preserving the building to prevent further deterioration. However, despite the increased investment, would be insufficient to achieve net zero emissions for City Hall by 2030, which is a commitment of the Council's One Planet initiative. Members noted that the Council must attain grade A office facilities to fulfil its net zero obligations. Nevertheless, the capital expenditure needed to upgrade the existing office space may potentially exceed the cost of constructing a new building. Members acknowledged the Council's willingness to engage in a long-term lease partnership, contingent upon the partner's commitment to enhancing City Hall to a higher standard, as well as maintaining and preserving it in the future. Members considered that the Council should actively promote these opportunities to interested partners. While the Full Business Case will delve into the details further, Members understood that it may be challenging to identify potential partners willing to pay rent at a level that justifies upgrading the office space to a grade A standard. Members sought assurance that the One Planet policy directive will be taken into consideration when evaluating partner offers, and that a higher weighted scoring will be given to investors who strongly align with the directive during the procurement process. The Committee wholeheartedly endorsed the commitment that essential office space should be available for every Council employee, and that the Council should not mandate remote working for its staff. Members discussed the potential of preserving historical structures like County Hall and the Mansion House by placing them under the care of a trust. It was noted that Officers would investigate this possibility, although the necessary funds exceed the grants provided by the National Lottery. Additionally, Members noted that government funding cannot be allocated for office buildings. RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting at this point during consideration of this item as the Committee discussed exempt information of the description contained in paragraphs 14, 16 and 21 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. The public may be excluded from the meeting by resolution of the Committee pursuant to Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 during discussion of this item. AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
None received.
The proposed date of the next meeting – 12 June 2024, 4.30pm.
Rhaid i gynghorwyr ddweud pan fydd ganddyn nhw gysylltiad personol â rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod, fel swydd, eiddo neu aelod o'r teulu. Mae buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu yn ddigon cryf i'r cynghorydd adael yr ystafell fel arfer a pheidio â chymryd rhan.
Caiff datganiadau eu darllen o'r cofnodion unwaith y byddan nhw wedi'u cyhoeddi.
Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.