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Appointments Committee- 8th April 2024

1:07 pm, Monday, 8th April 2024 - 4 weeks ago

Present:
Councillor Jackson (in the Chair)
Councillors Beasant, Brookes, Cracknell, Dawkins and Shepherd (substitute for Shreeve).

Officers in attendance:
• Sophie Tillison (HR Manager Workforce and Governance)
• Rachel Marshall (Executive Member Support Officer)
• Sophie Pickerden (Committee Support Officer)

APT.19 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence from this meeting were received from Councillor Shreeve.

APT.20 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest made in respect of any items on the agenda for this meeting.

APT.21 MINUTES

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Appointments Committee meeting on 8th January 2024 be approved.

APT.22 EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded for the following business on the grounds that its discussion was likely to disclose exempt information within paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

APT.23 EXERCISE OF DISCRETION ON REDUNDANCY

The committee considered a report from the Joint Chief Executive in respect of the discretion being applied to the redundancy and pension payments to be made to redundant employees. The committee were given the opportunity to ask questions and seek clarifications on any matters.

RESOLVED –

  1. That the report be noted.
  2. That the discretion payment detailed in respect of case numbers 04/23, 05/23, 06/23, 08/23, 09/23, 10/23, 11/23, 12/23, 13/23, 14/23, 15/23, 16/23, 17/23, 18/23 and 19/23 as set out in the report submitted, be approved.

Note – following consideration of this item, the press and public were invited to return to the meeting.

APT.24 DISCRETIONARY POLICY REPORT

The committee considered a report from the Chief Executive providing an update on the Local Government (early Termination of Employment) (Discretionary Compensation) Regulations 2006 and recommended next steps in relation to Discretionary Compensation.

The Chair stated that he would like an overview report to be brought to a meeting of the Appointments Committee every six months outlining any discretionary payments applied within that time in order to allow the Appointments Committee to have oversight of decisions made.

RESOLVED –

  1. That the report be noted.
  2. That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive, as Head of Paid Service, to create a Discretionary Payments Policy, to provide clarity on the Council’s position, with a yearly review by the Head of Paid Service to ensure it was workable, affordable and reasonable having regard to future costs. Such review to be reported to the Appointments Committee.
  3. That discretion be applied in relation to Regulation 5 – to waiver the statutory limits on a week’s pay for all cases.
  4. That discretion not be applied to award up to 104 weeks’ pay as a lump sum compensation payment. However, should an employee make a submission, then this be considered by the Appointments Committee.
  5. That the Appointments Committee convene every six months to receive a report outlining any discretionary payments made.

There being no further business, the Chair declared the meeting closed at
9.40 a.m.