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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
AGREED – That Agenda Item 7 – Workforce Monitoring Information - Interim report – be brought forward and taken at this time.
AGREED – That the next report include:- (i) Breakdown of sickness reasons by Department. (ii) Benchmarking information. (iii) Breakdown of sickness into long and short term absences.
AGREED:- (i) The Committee support the budget information outlined in the report; and (ii) The Employment, Business & Investment Scrutiny Committee be asked to undertake an analysis to quantify the economic benefits of providing free car parking in Wrexham city centre.
AGREED - (i) That the Committee were satisfied with the level of assurance provided; and (ii) That the item be included as a regular six monthly report on the work programme.
AGREED – That the work programme as attached at appendix 1 to the report COGC/03/23 be approved subject to the aforementioned amendment.
An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Councillor Jerry Wellens.
Corrections to Minutes Minute 29 – Declarations of Interest Remove the words “.and Chair of trustee Board”. Minute 30 – Work Programme 2nd bullet point – Amend the bullet point as follows “….A number of Members stated their disappointment at the delay in the Committee’s consideration of this topic. Concern was also raised at the perceived political blocking in respect of the consideration of this topic at the Scrutiny Committee’. AGREED – To sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 15 December 2022, subject to the aforementioned amendments.
Members were reminded of their responsibility, under Paragraph 11 of the Members’ Code of Conduct, to declare any interests in relation to any of the business to be transacted at this meeting. The following declarations were made: Agenda Item 5 – Budget Monitoring 2022/23 & Provisional Local Government Settlement 2023/24 Personal non prejudicial – Councillors Frank Hemmings, Pete Howell, Marc Jones, Graham Rogers, Alison Tynan and Anthony Wedlake – Local Authority appointed school Governor respectively. Councillor Gary Brown - Local Authority appointed school Governor and daughter attending local school. The Councillors remained in the meeting and claimed an exemption under Paragraph 12(2) of the Members’ Code of Conduct taking part in the discussion and voting thereon.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – That Agenda Item 7 – Workforce Monitoring Information - Interim report – be brought forward and taken at this time.
AGREED – That Agenda Item 7 – Workforce Monitoring Information - Interim report – be brought forward and taken at this time.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – That the next report include:- (i) Breakdown of sickness reasons by Department. (ii) Benchmarking information. (iii) Breakdown of sickness into long and short term absences.
The Lead Member for Organisation - Planning and Corporate Services submitted a report CE/01/23 which provided Members with the half yearly data Workforce Monitoring Information report for the period of 1 April 2022 to 30 September 2022. In introducing her report the Lead Member advised that this was a post pandemic period report from April 2022 onwards which established new baseline figures for future performance monitoring for 2022/2023. She further advised that there was a planned schedule of annual and half yearly reports. This new 2022/2023 baseline would be used to view future trends and to enable comparisons to be made going forward. A number of Chief Officers (Social Care, Education and Early Intervention, Environment and Technical and Economy and Planning) provided verbal updates to the Committee on their respective departmental challenges and progress areas and responded to Members questions accordingly thereafter, with input from the Human Resources Manager. During the debate, a number of issues were referenced, including: · Workforce development opportunities available to staff and courses provided. · Barriers to recruitment and staff retention including pay issues and travel. Officers advised that these issues were not specific to Wrexham and that there were many examples of staff traveling from neighbouring authorities to work in Wrexham. · The office accommodation review was underway and Crown Buildings had been re-designed around the Modern Ways of Working agenda. Positive feedback had been received and the Guildhall would be the next building to be re-designed to support flexible working. · The Modern Ways of Working agenda and office accommodation review would support the Local Authority to recruit in a different way. · The importance of growing our own workforce, especially in relation to social care. · In recognition of the large and complex organisation it was noted that ways in which to communicate with hard to reach employees through staff surveys were considered. · Whilst exit interviews were encouraged they could not be made mandatory. · The need to continue to monitor the reasons for staff sickness absence and to ensure appropriate return to work support was provided. Officers advised that the managers within services were proactive in terms of promoting employee health and well-being · The need to further understand and evidence the effectiveness of support mechanisms and interventions that were in place was emphasised. · The sickness rate had reduced since pre-covid reporting. There was a need to continue to monitor the sickness trend within the workforce post Covid. · Stress remained the category of sickness with the highest reporting level. · Local Authority comparison data in respect of sickness absence would be available for consideration in the next report. · The need to ensure the alignment of objectives as part of the staff appraisal monitoring process. Officers confirmed that guidance was provided to Managers to ensure that staff objectives linked to the Council Plan priorities. · Incentives were offered during the staff appraisal process through pay increments. Once the top of a grade level had been reached staff achievement was still monitored and support would be provided to those staff who were not meeting their objectives. Formal procedures would be followed if no improvement was made following the implementation of a suitable support plan. · Concern was expressed that less than 50% participated in the staff survey. AGREED – That the next report include:- (i) Breakdown of sickness reasons by Department. (ii) Benchmarking information. (iii) Breakdown of sickness into long and short term absences.
Decision as recorded
AGREED:- (i) The Committee support the budget information outlined in the report; and (ii) The Employment, Business & Investment Scrutiny Committee be asked to undertake an analysis to quantify the economic benefits of providing free car parking in Wrexham city centre.
Members declarations of interest in relation to this item are set out in Minute 34 above) The Lead Member for Finance and Performance submitted a report COFI/03/23s informing Members of the Council’s current budgetary position at Quarter 2 2022/23 and to update on the Provisional Local Government Settlement 2023/24. In introducing his report the Lead Member referred in particular to the service efficiency savings and the forecasted budget pressure of £3.3m. Thereafter, he responded to Members questions accordingly thereafter with input from the Chief Officer Finance and ICT. During the ensuing discussion a number of issues were raised, including: · The significant size of the budget and workforce meant that there would always be a degree of movement and turnover. · Confirmation that the local authority did not budget for a general level of savings due to vacancies. · Whilst the listing of individual school balances was a historical practise, the collective management of federations could be included as a footnote in future reports. · Recognition of the budget pressure in social care due to the demands around children’s placements. · The need to be able to demonstrate the economic benefit (e.g. increased footfall etc.) against the loss of revenue from free parking being offered from 11.00 am. · Confirmation that appropriate use of the 10% spending cap for school balances from Welsh Government was monitored by the relevant school governing bodies. · Officers from the Finance Department met with schools once per term to consider budgets and apply appropriate challenges around expenditure. AGREED:- (i) The Committee support the budget information outlined in the report; and (ii) The Employment, Business & Investment Scrutiny Committee be asked to undertake an analysis to quantify the economic benefits of providing free car parking in Wrexham city centre.
Decision as recorded
AGREED - (i) That the Committee were satisfied with the level of assurance provided; and (ii) That the item be included as a regular six monthly report on the work programme.
The Lead Member for Finance and Performance submitted a report CE/62/22 providing the Committee with a summary update on progress against the Council Plan as at quarter two 2022/23. The report also set out a summary of how well the Council performed against its Well-being Objectives and Improvement Priorities (hereafter referred to as the Council’s Priorities) in the second quarter of 2022/23 and final year of the Council Plan 2020-2023. 2023/24. In introducing his report the Lead Member referred in particular to the agreed key milestones and outcome indicators used to measure progress. Thereafter, he responded to Members questions accordingly with input from Head of Service, Performance, Improvement and Partnerships. Members questioned the process of challenge of performance requiring improvement. It was noted that each priority had an intervention card and actions were taken to bring the indicators back on track. It was further noted that Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee were monitoring improvements within education, including scrutiny of some individual schools by the School Improvement Monitoring Group. AGREED - (i) That the Committee were satisfied with the level of assurance provided; and (ii) That the item be included as a regular six monthly report on the work programme.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – That the work programme as attached at appendix 1 to the report COGC/03/23 be approved subject to the aforementioned amendment.
The Chief Officer Governance and Customer submitted a report COGC/03/23 allowing Members to consider the work programme of the Customers, Performance, Resources & Governance Scrutiny Committee attached at Appendix 1. During the discussion the following proposal was put forward- · ‘Office Accommodation Review’ progress report – to be deferred from the February to April 2023 meeting. AGREED – That the work programme as attached at appendix 1 to the report COGC/03/23 be approved subject to the aforementioned amendment.
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