Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director – HR and Transformation and Assistant Director – Legal and Democratic Services

The Assistant Director – Legal and Democratic Services introduced the report to consult the Committee on arrangements for a new Joint Staff Advisory Committee and Joint Appointments Committee.   This recognised that most staff worked across both Lewes District and Eastbourne Borough Councils, and there was a need for consultation and decision-making on staff matters to be made on a joint basis.  This had been considered at the meeting of the Eastbourne Joint Staff Committee on 26 September, and agreed subject to any additional comments received from Unison at this meeting.

Unison representatives at the meeting highlighted three areas where they would wish to see additional changes in relation to the terms of reference for the Joint Staff Advisory Committee:

a)    It was requested that paragraph 1.2, specify that the union representatives were from Unison.  In addition, it was asked that the number of its representatives be increased to 3, replacing one of the other staff representatives, as Unison representatives stated that they believed that 75% of staff were Unison members.

b)    It was requested that the regional unison representatives and other staff representatives in training should be able to attend the meetings.

c)    It was advised that in Unison’s view Member attendance on appeals against dismissal, grading and grievance should be mandatory not optional, as this was the purpose of this final appeal stage.

The Committee discussed each of these issues.

In relation to the Unison representation, HR confirmed that Unison was the only recognised union for the Council.  Members agreed that the terms of reference should be amended to specify that the union representation should be ‘from the recognised union’, but felt the number of representatives from the union and staff, of two each, was appropriate.

In relation to the attendance of regional and other representatives, it was agreed that it was up to Unison to confirm who their two representatives were.  However, holding the meeting in public, with restricted access on specific papers, would enable Unison to send other regional representatives and representatives in training as observers.

Finally, in relation to the role of the Committee in appeals, the Head of HR advised that Officers had suggested that Member involvement be at the request of the staff member, as many staff had reported they found it more intimidating for appeals to go to Members, and it often meant a longer delay in setting up such panels.  The Committee agreed that two Members should be involved in the final stage of appeals as the employer, but only in relation to dismissal and grievance matters.

It was recognised that as this was different to the terms of reference approved by the Eastbourne Joint Staff Committee, there would likely need to be a delay in recommending this to each Full Council, to check that these changes could be approved by both authorities.

RESOLVED- To ask the Assistant Director HR and Transformation to put the proposals for a new ‘Joint Staff Advisory Committee’ and ‘Joint Appointments and Appeals Committee’ forward to the Full Council, subject to the following amendments to the Terms of Reference for the Joint Staff Advisory Committee, and to those being agreed by the Eastbourne Joint Staff Committee:

a)    The new Joint Staff Advisory Committee be held in public.

b)    Paragraph 1.2 of the terms of reference be amended so that the staff representatives were:  ‘2 representatives from the recognised union and 2 staff group representatives’.

c)     Paragraph 6.5 of the terms of reference be amended to state that: ‘For all appeals against staff dismissal and grievance, the Assistant Director – HR and Transformation shall invite 2 members of this Committee to be a part of the relevant appeals panel’.