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RESOLVED That the annual update report on Visit Pembrokeshire be approved with appropriate feedback provided.
RESOLVED That the situation faced and the necessity to consider alternative options to move the trading position of the airport to a cost neutral base be noted; and that the report return to the March meeting of the Scrutiny Committee and Officer involvement would be reviewed in January. [The meeting adjourned for a short break at this juncture]
RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be approved subject to the following amendments: (a) That the Committee receive an update on Planning Service delivery including Phosphates in January. (b) That the Haverfordwest Airport report and findings of the working group be presented in March. [Councillor Brian Hall left the meeting at this juncture]
RESOLVED That the progress report of the Regeneration Programme be noted with a further summary progress report in six months’ time. [Councillor Paul Miller left the meeting at this juncture]
RESOLVED That the report presenting an update on the percentage of staff working out of County Hall be noted.
Item 4 Visit Pembrokeshire – Annual Update report Councillor Viv Stoddart declared a personal and prejudicial interest by virtue of an interest in a holiday home and stated that she had been granted a dispensation to speak on matters related to second homes and tourism in general. Councillor Huw Murphy declared a personal interest by virtue of being a Member of Visit Pembrokeshire. Councillor Di Clements declared a personal interest by virtue of being a Board Member of Visit Pembrokeshire. Item 5 Haverfordwest Airport Councillor Mark Carter declared a personal interest by virtue of his Sister’s Partner being employed at the Airport. Item 8 Update on the percentage of staff now working out of County Hall Councillor Vanessa Thomas declared a personal interest by virtue of having two family members employed by the Authority.
Moved by Councillor Brian Hall; Seconded by Councillor Steve Alderman The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the English and Welsh Minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2023 be approved as a correct record.
There were no public submissions or items of correspondence received however, an update was given regarding Flooding at Havens Head and Lower Priory. The Chair welcomed the Coastal and Rivers Engineer to the meeting who delivered an update on the flooding at Havens Head and Lower Priory to the Committee. She advised Members that the Welsh Government had approved the Outline Business Case submitted earlier in the year and the Authority had been successful in obtaining additional funding for the Full Business Case, detailed design. The Authority had engaged with the Milford Haven Port Authority regarding the land access as well as the repairs that were needed for the Northern Dock Wall by Milford Haven Port Authority. Following the Full Business Case funding, the ground investigation contractor had been reappointed and a detailed design of the culvert would be submitted together with a proposed timeline for the next stage of the project. A pipeline application would be submitted to the Welsh Government as an Expression of Interest for the 2024/25 Construction phase. Milford Haven Port Authority will be carrying out repairs to the Northern Dock Wall during this time Councillor Viv Stoddart thanked the Coastal and Rivers Engineer for the report, which was noted as being particularly timely following the recent storms and flooding. She noted that the pub car park had been flooded which required pumping out and three gardens on Havens Head were flooded. Whilst it was noted the pub car park flooding was due to drainage issues rather than the storms, it remained a cause of great anxiety to residents. Councillor Stoddart further highlighted that a barrier had been in place around the Northern Dock Wall, at the site of the required repairs for approximately nine months and the Coast and Rivers Engineers advised that the situation was being monitored by an external agency for the Port Authority. In response to a concern from Councillor Di Clements and with the support of the Chair, the Coast and Rivers Engineer agreed to write to Tom Sawyer, Chief Executive of Milford Haven Port Authority to ensure a commitment to the repairs to the Northern Dock Wall which would then be provided to all Members of the Committee. In response to a concern raised by Councillor Di Clements regarding the Cost Benefits Analysis, the Coast and Rivers Engineer advised that Welsh Government have a strict criteria for flood alleviation schemes. She further advised that Welsh Government have a strict criteria when funding flood alleviation schemes. This was the only capital bid being submitted by the Authority she added and pointed out that it was against a number of other Authorities and any final decision remained with the Welsh Government. Councillor Clements again highlighted concerns of any reduction in funding but agreed that this would not be known at this time
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RESOLVED That the annual update report on Visit Pembrokeshire be approved with appropriate feedback provided.
The Chair welcomed Emma Thornton, Chief Executive of Visit Pembrokeshire to the meeting to present the annual update to the Members. The Chief Executive highlighted that this was the third year of operation and the key points of the presentation were noted as follows: · Membership resource had been bolstered with support from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority (PCNPA). · 15 events had been delivered across the Authority. · Network events had taken place with guest speakers. · Increased visibility and raising awareness by attending events with the Travel Trade, County Shows and Long Course weekends. · Visit Pembrokeshire had changed their Public Relations Partner to Four Corners PR. · 84 New Members and 85% retention of business. · Their focus remained on digital communication. The Committee then debated the contents of the presentation and the key points were highlighted as follows: Clarification was sought by Councillor Rhys Jordan regarding the membership figures that noted an 18% growth in members with a 15% loss of members which resulted in a net growth of 3% membership. The Chief Executive advised that this number was from one KPI of the number of members at 1 September 2022 versus the number at the end of August 2023, which gave the number of new members. A further KPI was regarding the retention of members and the Chief Executive noted that in October, the retention was 100% and that the current membership was 290. In response to a further question from Councillor Jordan regarding the 15% that had left, the Chief Executive advised that the main reasons that had been reported had been the cost and she emphasised the importance of business engagement and evidencing the benefits of membership. . In response to a question from Councillor Chris Williams regarding advertising at the Long Course Weekend and whether they were advertising further afield, the Chief Executive advised that affordability was a great barrier to promoting Visit Pembrokeshire outside of the County noting they were staffed with 4.5FTE. Councillor Williams sought clarity on the drive to discount rates to encourage visitors to Pembrokeshire and the Chief Executive advised that when property owners had increased availability they discounted their rates. Concerns were highlighted that the potential increase in Council Tax on second homes and holiday lets was already increasing costs for visitors. Councillor Williams asked how the potential of a Visitor Levy would affect Visit Pembrokeshire, and the Chief Executive noted that it was a further potential barrier to visitors. The Head of Culture, Leisure and Registration Services presented an Officer view of the Visitor Levy and the positives and negatives that it would provide together with the services that it would provide and support. Councillor Huw Murphy raised a Point of Order and advised that this was a political decision and would be debated by Councillors. The Chief Executive encouraged businesses to fully engage in the conversation regarding the Visitor Levy, which Visit Pembrokeshire was facilitating to ensure mutual education and understanding. response to a question from Councillor Tim Evans regarding only 2% of overseas visitors coming to Wales, the Chief Executive advised that there was a combination of factors including perception that Wales was too far to travel to as well as the infrastructure. However, she noted that Visit Wales had recognised the need to raise the profile of Wales internationally. Additional work with the trade was being undertaken to ensure they were ‘travel ready’. Councillor Tony Wilcox commented that he personally did not want to introduce the Visitor Levy as it may discourage visitors to the area. The Head of Culture, Leisure and Registration Services clarified that the Visitor Levy was a permissive legislation and an option for the Authority. Councillor Murphy agreed with the comments made by Councillor Wilcox and noted that he had put in a Notice of Motion regarding the 182-day rule in order to protect the tourism trade and those employed in this trade. The Chief Executive further advised that a number of letters had been submitted together with a petition containing several thousand signatures to Welsh Government and that the Tourism Minister had responded that there would be no change or increase in exemptions. Councillor Huw Murphy commented that he was not opposed to the rise in second home council tax but felt that there should be a reduction to the 182-day rule. He further highlighted the housing issues across the Authority. The Cabinet Member for Place, the Region and Climate Change and Deputy Leader noted the excellent debate and he emphasised that Visit Pembrokeshire had been a success story and was doing an excellent job. In response to a comment from Councillor Murphy regarding the current economic climate, the Chief Executive agreed that this was not a problem unique to Pembrokeshire and that, when Visit Pembrokeshire was set up three years ago, it was to provide a cohesive approach. Councillor Brian Hall made reference to the excellent tourism industry in Ireland. Councillor Murphy highlighted that Visit Pembrokeshire was providing an excellent service in a difficult climate. The Chair thanked the Chief Executive for attending the meeting and providing the excellent presentation to Members. Moved by Councillor Huw Murphy; Seconded by Councillor Chris Williams The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the annual update report on Visit Pembrokeshire be approved with appropriate feedback provided.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED That the situation faced and the necessity to consider alternative options to move the trading position of the airport to a cost neutral base be noted; and that the report return to the March meeting of the Scrutiny Committee and Officer involvement would be reviewed in January. [The meeting adjourned for a short break at this juncture]
The Chair presented the Haverfordwest Airport outlining the site visit to the Airport that had been undertaken on Wednesday 1 November 2023. He stated that the visit had taken approximately 2.5 hours and had proven very interesting. The Chair highlighted the enthusiasm of the staff that they had interacted with. The Councillors that had been in attendance at the visit noted that they were impressed with the potential of the site and had left with confidence that they could move forwards. The Chair invited comments from those that had been in attendance at the site visit which were highlighted as follows: Councillor Chris Williams noted that it had been very productive and had been very impressed with the potential of the site. Councillor Murphy highlighted that he had gone with a negative outlook but, following the visit, understood the enthusiasm and potential of the airport. Councillor Tom Tudor requested that a future visit be arranged for those that had been unable to attend. The Chair then welcomed the Assistant Chief Executive to present the report on the situation and services at Haverfordwest Airport and highlighted the key areas for Members’ consideration: · This was the first report that had been brought to the Committee since Cabinet had considered the matter and noted that the internal management had changed from the Head of Infrastructure to himself. · On introducing the new Chief Property Officer to the Committee, he noted that there was a lot more to the airport than first realised. · He noted the number of services that operate out of the airport and the complexity of budgeting. · The Assistant Chief Executive further emphasised the Civil Air Authority (CAA) licensing regime noting that safety remained at the heart. · He again emphasised the enthusiasm and energy of the team at the airport as well as the operators that were based at the airport including Metal Seagulls and Fly Wales. The Assistant Chief Executive further highlighted a number of areas that had arisen from the recent stakeholder meeting: · The financial position of the airport was improved on the previous year however; the very significant increase in fuel prices had stopped users purchasing fuel direct from the Authority. · Pilots had other options available. · A small working group had been established to review options that included representatives from the Economic Regeneration Team. · It was suggested that the working group return to the Committee once any potential options had been identified and explored. · The options under discussion held both short-term and long-term benefits. · He anticipated a substantial closing of the financial gap over the next 2-3 years but highlighted it was unlikely to be cost neutral over the next 12-18months. · There were 50 jobs associated either directly or indirectly with the airport. · The CAA had provided a positive report that the airport was well run and well managed. · The Assistant Chief Executive highlighted the vital services that the airport provided to the blue light services including a recent letter of thanks following a request from the Coast Guard who responded to their out of hours request for fuel allowing the Sea King to have continue with a search for a further 45 minutes. The Interim Chief Property Officer advised Members that the airport staff had expressed their thanks to the Committee for taking the time to visit the airport and had been encouraged by the enthusiasm demonstrated. In response to a question from the Chair regarding the working group, the Assistant Chief Executive advised that this was Officer led at present and, once they have an in depth understanding of the complexities involved, they would return to the Committee to consider the options and for Members to join the working group. Councillors Di Clements, Chris Williams and Tim Evans agreed that Councillor input at this time would not add value. Councillor Tim Evans commented on the EU funded development of the landing approach that had been mentioned at the site visit, which would allow aircraft to land at the airport in adverse weather conditions allowing more opportunities and general aviation to the airport throughout the year. The Interim Chief Property Officer advised that the £60K funding barrier had been overcome, as there was a grant that could be used, not related to the Authority. It was anticipated that this would be going live imminently and would drive a number of further landings. Councillor Tim Evans further remarked on the absence of a dedicated bespoke website to promote the airport and the Assistant Chief Executive advised this had been discussed at the stakeholders meeting. The Chair welcomed the Vice-Chair of Withybush Airport Flying Club (WAFC), who was present at the meeting, advised Members that as a Private Pilot, he was able to represent members at the stakeholder meeting. He noted that the flying club had in excess of 40 members. In response to the question from Councillor Evans regarding the website, he advised that WAFC had a professional company that were developing a website for the club and that they were keen for this to be utilised by the airport for a joint approach. The Vice-Chair advised that, for 2024, the WAFC were in discussions with the Air Cadets to raise local awareness and giving back to the community. The most contentious issue was highlighted as the rise in fuel costs as users could not afford the prices. Increasing the opening hours had also been raised as most private pilots work during the week and can only fly at weekends, when the airport was not fully manned and he emphasised the need for longer opening hours to increase visitors and users of the airport. The Vice-Chair of WAFC highlighted a number of suggestions including: · Increase in Fly-Ins – where aircraft come in from other airports. · Fly-outs – attending other airports. · An Air Show. · Vintage Vehicle displays. · Social Evenings. · Open Hangar days to allow visitors to the airport to see all the different types of aircraft. · An additional Flying School – the Medway building could be utilised for a flying school. · Non-aviation businesses. · Ground to Air Licences for pilots to staff the tower over weekends. The Vice-Chair noted that the preference of the WAFC was to increase the income to the airport rather than decreasing the outgoings, which would only come about from an increase in movements. He further highlighted the difficulties of flying in the Pembrokeshire weather with poor visibility issues and having the full GPS approach would attract more customers. In response to a question from the Chair regarding increased opening hours, the Vice-Chair agreed that this would be a great benefit to the airport. It would need to be open seven days per week, particularly over weekends. Many small airports open seven days per week with an informal arrangement provided. In response to a question from the Chair regarding the minimum number of staff required to keep the airport open, the Vice Chair of WAFC advised that the majority of airports that they use are operated by a single person subject to licensing and fire cover. He further advised that the Radio Operator operated on an advisory basis only and was not a mandatory requirement. The Assistant Chief Executive advised that when the airfield was operating within commercial operators licensed hours, there were requirements for two trained Fire Fighters to be in attendance and one person in the tower. The Cabinet Member highlighted that the airport was an important asset to the Authority and that strategic options were being reviewed as the current subsidy rates could not continue. Shared operational responsibilities were under discussion and options for a new operating model were anticipated by April 2024. The Committee then debated the contents of the report and the key points were highlighted as follows: · Councillor Hall highlighted previous discussions on extending the runway by a mile to allow larger aircraft to use the facilities. · Councillor Di Clements raised concerns regarding the sustainability and climate change agenda and the airport. The Assistant Chief Executive highlighted that not everything in society could happen at zero carbon. Air travel was well understood to have a disproportionate level of emissions; however, transport, search and rescue and economic benefits needed to be considered. The Authority was looking to offset the emissions he added including sustainable aviation fuel to reduce the carbon emissions by up to 80%; solar panels and electric craft were all under review. · Councillor Clements highlighted the concern on encouraging pleasure flights. · Councillor Tim Evan highlighted an invitation from Metal Seagulls to the Committee as they had not been able to attend the airport on the day of the site visit and the Chair noted that this could be arranged for the spring. Councillor Chris Williams highlighted the need to engage with those that operate at the airport, as it was vital to work with the various groups to move forward. Councillor Stoddart highlighted that whilst this was a very important asset for the Authority, it was also a very expensive asset that was being subsidised by taxpayers. She highlighted that the Assistant Chief Executive had advised that having an airport was not a statutory requirement and questioned why the Authority retained the airport. Councillor Stoddart emphasised that the potential to reach cost neutral in 2-3 years did not negate the need for a debate on retaining the airport and urged Members to give consideration on retaining the airport in the Authority’s portfolio. She again raised concerns that the working group was Officer led and felt that it required a democratic input. The Assistant Chief Executive responded that there was an option not to continue with the airport and that this was part of the options under consideration. He noted that the working group was Officer led during the fact finding exercise, reviewing the legal issues around options prior to being able to present the options to Members. In response to a suggestion from the Chair regarding attendance at the working group meetings to observe, the Assistant Chief Executive agreed that this would be welcomed and would advise Members of when the meetings were taking place. The Vice-Chair of WAFC advised that when the County Show was taking place, it occupied the North-South runway and the airfield still had use of the East-West runway, which was slightly shorter. Additionally, regarding climate change, he advised that there was a worldwide need for commercial pilots and they were required to be private pilots in order to progress. Councillor Steve Alderman noted that the airport was a strategic asset for the Authority, which would support a number of projects in the future including the Celtic Freeport and servicing of floating wind turbines. Councillor Jordan emphasised the need to move to a cost neutral position and highlighted the excellent team that were leading on the project. Councillor Rhys Jordan then moved the recommendation. In response to a question from Councillor Tim Evans regarding funding that was available, the Assistant Chief Executive advised that the airport had not been subject to a seed corn funding bid as the airport did not meet the Freeport eligibility objectives, however there were other initiatives that were being reviewed. Councillor Murphy noted that the airport was an asset to the Authority and, as they already had it, they should retain it and continue to work towards becoming cost neutral. He further suggested seasonal opening and individuals that had obtained the air to ground radio qualification volunteering to operate the radio and provide the additional support. Councillor Di Clements then seconded the recommendation and asked when the options could be available to Members. The Assistant Chief Executive noted that if Members were to observe the working group then they would be able to understand the progress as it was made. He envisaged that the report would come back to the March meeting of the Committee. Councillor Clements further proposed that Members were not on the working group as Officers and Users of the facility needed to be able to do their work and then come back to the Committee with recommendations. The Chair suggested that the Airport Working Group be included on the Forward Work Programme and be reviewed again in March to discuss whether it would be appropriate for Members to be included. The Cabinet Member highlighted that pre-scrutiny was welcomed on the options prior to Cabinet and that the decision would be taken in the first quarter of 2024. The Assistant Chief Executive suggested that a Member of the Committee be nominated to attend the working group and be discussed in the January meeting. In response to a request from the Vice-Chair of the WAFC to be included in the working group, the Chair advised that whilst that would not be possible, the Assistant Chief Executive confirmed that they would engage with the stakeholder group. Moved by Councillor Rhys Jordan; Seconded by Councillor Di Clements. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the situation faced and the necessity to consider alternative options to move the trading position of the airport to a cost neutral base be noted; and that the report return to the March meeting of the Scrutiny Committee and Officer involvement would be reviewed in January. [The meeting adjourned for a short break at this juncture]
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be approved subject to the following amendments: (a) That the Committee receive an update on Planning Service delivery including Phosphates in January. (b) That the Haverfordwest Airport report and findings of the working group be presented in March. [Councillor Brian Hall left the meeting at this juncture]
The Chair presented the Forward Work Programme to the Committee who then debated the contents with the key points highlighted for inclusion: · That the Committee receive an update on Planning Service delivery – including Phosphates in January. · That the Haverfordwest Airport report and findings of the working group be presented in March. In response to a concern highlighted by Councillor Clements regarding allowing time for the new Head of Planning to be in post prior to an update in January, the Assistant Chief Executive advised that an Interim Head of Planning will be in place and he was confident that an update could be provided in January. Councillor Alderman requested an update on phosphates as there were a number of developments on hold due to the phosphate issues and the Chair clarified that the Planning Service update would be presented in January and a Planning Service Update to include phosphate issues be requested for June. Moved by Councillor Rhys Jordan; Seconded by Councillor Di Clements The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be approved subject to the following amendments: (a) That the Committee receive an update on Planning Service delivery including Phosphates in January. (b) That the Haverfordwest Airport report and findings of the working group be presented in March. [Councillor Brian Hall left the meeting at this juncture]
The Committee agreed a change to the order of business as follows to allow the Cabinet Member for Place, the Region and Climate Change and Deputy Leader to leave the meeting.
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RESOLVED That the progress report of the Regeneration Programme be noted with a further summary progress report in six months’ time. [Councillor Paul Miller left the meeting at this juncture]
The Cabinet Member for Place, the Region and Climate Change and Deputy Leader introduced the Regeneration Programme report to Members highlighting the significant work that had taken place across the Authority including 40% full fibre penetration for Broadband. The Assistant Chief Executive then presented the report to the Committee noting it was a very comprehensive report. Councillor Clements highlighted that she, like many in rural areas were still struggling with broadband connectivity noting the issues with Broadway and the recent takeover by Voneus. In response to a question from Councillor Clements regarding the evaluation and impact of external funding on the County, the Cabinet Member agreed that evaluation was paramount to ensure ongoing learning. The Head of Economic Development and Regeneration advised that the report was quite detailed and highlighted a number of additional responsibilities had been included; · The Freeport development · The Bridge Innovation Centre · Future Works (part of the Authority’s employability and lifelong learning skills) The Head of Economic Development and Regeneration advised that there was a detailed report on Future Works as well as a link to a short video to provide a greater understanding. A number of additional requests had been included in the report including the externally funded capital projects, the transport interchange in Haverfordwest and the projects around Haverfordwest Castle. The Head of Economic Development and Regeneration noted the interest from private sector funding particularly around the Celtic Freeport opportunities. The Head of Economic Development and Regeneration responded to the question from Councillor Clements explaining that each of the externally funded projects has a series of outputs/outcomes which were then reported back to the funding body. The team would work to provide an overall picture as well as the reports provided to sponsors and funding providers which were delivered either quarterly or biannually. Councillor Clements thanked the Head of Economic Development and Regeneration for her comprehensive response. Councillor Alderman raised concerns regarding the connectivity to Castlemartin and the Floating Offshore Wind projects and he highlighted that there was a planning application received by the Authority for a battery storage facility next to the Greenlink interconnector building. He raised great concerns as to the effect this may have on future developments and the location requested for the battery storage facility. The Chair invited the Assistant Chief Executive to respond however, he advised that any planning proposal had a process to go through and could therefore not comment. The Head of Economic Development and Regeneration gave reassurance that all planning applications were dealt with in a consistent manner by the Planning Department. Members debated the Regeneration Programme report and the key points were highlighted as follows: · The Assistant Chief Executive was now responsible for the programme following the retirement of the Director of Community Services. · The Authority’s ambition was to produce 70% of all power from renewable sources by 2035 and the transportation was anticipated to be via rail. · Councillor Tony Wilcox highlighted his disappointment that the Pembroke Dock interchange had not received any Welsh Government funding. · In response to a concern from Councillor Stoddart who highlighted the Milford Haven interchange being in gestation, the Cabinet Member advised that the project lead was not in attendance but noted that progress was being made. · Transport was being reviewed to ensure the correct number of trains were coming into the County. · In response to a problem highlighted by the Chair at an earlier meeting of the Committee regarding painting of properties, the Cabinet Member advised that a ‘paint scheme’ policy had been agreed and funded that was due to launch to improve areas of the town in conjunction with the Area Maintenance Team. · In response to a further question from the Chair regarding Picton House, the Cabinet Member advised that this property had been returned to the Authority following a long term let and options were being considered on the property as significant investment was necessary. · All properties in the Riverside Holding had now been occupied or were soon to be let in Haverfordwest with only Picton House remaining vacant. · Following the administration of Broadway Partners for the rollout of Broadband across the County, negotiations were ongoing with their new partner Voneus; however, Voneus were not in a position to honour the vouchers that had previously been given to residents although negotiations were ongoing. · In response to a concern from Councillor Wilcox regarding the properties that were on copper broadband, the Cabinet Member advised that they were ensuring properties did not become isolated without connectivity and he again emphasised the disappointment in the delay in full fibre roll out. · In response to a question from Councillor Tom Tudor regarding a business in Haverfordwest losing their lease on a property, the Assistant Chief Executive advised that the Property Department was working with the Regeneration Team to ensure the correct balance of businesses when letting properties within the County Town. Moved by Councillor Steve Alderman; Seconded by Councillor Tony Wilcox The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the progress report of the Regeneration Programme be noted with a further summary progress report in six months’ time. [Councillor Paul Miller left the meeting at this juncture]
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED That the report presenting an update on the percentage of staff working out of County Hall be noted.
The Committee considered a report by the Head of Human Resources on the Update of Staff now working out of County Hall. The Assistant Chief Executive advised Members that the Head of Human Resources would advise on policy matters and that the Business Change Manager was responsible for facilities management and noted that staff had moved around following a period of bedding in with hybrid working and that there were negotiations with third parties to let part of County Hall. The Business Change Manager highlighted that over the last 12 months many departments had changed location based on a staff survey. A lot of data was presented within the report to show the occupancy and utility costs from a variety of sources. A breakdown of the occupancy of different zones within County Hall was discussed noting that this had supported the emptying of other assets across the Authority. The Business Process Redesign Officer advised that data was available from January 2023 and that since 19 September 2023 they had been conducting visual head counts and Wi-Fi port usage to inform the report. She advised that the data be used with caution, as there was no way to ensure complete accuracy on attendance at County Hall also noting that the excluded empty offices where as the report included the empty offices. The Committee then debated the contents of the report and the key points were highlighted as follows: In response to a concern raised by Councillor Tony Wilcox regarding the difficulties he had experienced in contacting a staff member in various departments; the Assistant Chief Executive advised that there should be someone available in every department, every day; however, they would not necessarily be in County Hall. The Authority had circulated to all Members a Contact Directory, which provided the best method of contact for key Officers but noted that Officers were often away from their desk. Councillor Wilcox emphasised the noted improvement on staff morale and benefit of shared practice when working from County Hall. In response to concerns raised by Councillor Tim Evans regarding social isolation noted in the staff survey, the Business Change Manager advised that the survey had been undertaken 12 months ago and had informed a lot of work since. The Head of Human Resources had conducted a significant amount of work on Mental Health and Well Being with the Occupational Health Department, individual Human Resources Link Officers and a dedicated Mental Health Specialist supporting team members. In response to a concern from Councillor Vanessa Thomas regarding any ongoing or more recent surveys, the Business Change Officer advised that they had worked with Human Resources to ensure the physical space had been provided. She further emphasised that workstation assessments were a mandatory requirement for both home and office working along with regular reminders of the information available from Human Resources to complete the POD training. The Business Change Manager urged all Members that, if they were concerned about any member of staff, to signpost them to either their Line Manager or HR Link Officer for support. The Chair noted that every staff member had different requirements and some preferred working from home where possible and that, occasionally not everyone felt well enough to work from the office but could work from home. Moved by Councillor Tony Wilcox; Seconded by Councillor Steve Alderman The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the report presenting an update on the percentage of staff working out of County Hall be noted.
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