Human Resources Minutes (Signed) 08-02-2021

Minutes of a Meeting of the Human Resources Committee held on Monday 8th February 2021 at 7:00pm via Zoom

Attendance:
Councillor C O’Neill (Chairman) Councillor P Hulbert
Councillor A Drummond Councillor M Jefferys
Councillor R Hood Councillor T Kerby
Councillor K Yarrow

Also Present: D Baines – Town Clerk and J Ashton – Minute Assistant.

H/21/02/1 Chairman to Announce that Proceedings are Being Recorded and to Advise that All Participants Will be Muted by the Host of the Meeting who will Unmute the Individual the Chairman has Invited to Speak
The Chairman opened the meeting and announced that proceedings were being recorded. All participants would be muted and would be unmuted when the Chairman invited individuals to speak.

H/21/02/2 Apologies for Absence
None noted

H/21/02/3 Declaration of Member’s Interests and to Remind Councillors of the Need to Keep up to Date Their Register of Member’s Interests and to Consider Any Requests Received for Member’s Dispensation
None noted.

H/21/02/4 To Receive and Confirm for Accuracy the Minutes of the Meeting Held On Monday 11th January 2021 and Any Matters Arising
Members received the minutes of the Human Resources Committee Meeting held on Monday 11th January 2021 and the following was agreed:

H/21/02/4.01 Resolved
That the minutes of the Human Resources Committee meeting held on Monday 11th January 2021 be adopted and would be signed as a true record by the Chairman of the Human Resources Committee after the meeting.

There were no matters arising.

H/21/02/5 Public Open Session
No members of the public were in attendance.

H/21/02/6 To Receive the Financial Accounts for Human Resources
The HR accounts for January 2021 were received and noted.

H/21/02/7 Date of Next Meeting
Monday 8th March 2021 via Zoom.

H/21/02/8 Items for Inclusion on Next Agenda
• Feedback on training regarding bad/unlawful planning decisions.

H/21/02/9 Exclusion of the Press & Public
With the vote being unanimous, it was:

H/21/02/9.01 Resolved
To resolve that under the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, the public and press be excluded for the remainder of the meeting because of the likely disclosure of private and confidential information or staff matters.

Cllr Hulbert had communication issues and left the meeting then joined the meeting again.
H/21/02/10 ***Staff Update***
The new template for reporting staff updates was welcomed.

Staff Absence – There was no staff sickness to report. Planned leave and leave taken were noted.

Staffing Matters – Annual leave and Public Holidays – A proposal to build Public Holidays into Annual leave to treat all staff equally was considered and the following was agreed:

***H/21/02/10.01 Recommendation***
That Public Holidays be included in Annual leave allowance from 1st April 2021.

Staff workloads during lockdown 3 were noted

Town Clerk reported that she had taken on the role of Secretary to the Suffolk Branch of the SLCC. This is a voluntary role and hours will be worked outside of working time.

A probation review meeting for the Town Clerk was held 4th February 2021 and the following was agreed:

***H/21/02/10.02 Recommendation***
That the probation period for the Town Clerk be approved and an offer of permanent employment be made.

It was reported that negotiations had been undertaken regarding release fees to enable employment of an agency worker as a member of NTC staff. The matter was no longer urgent and had not yet been pursued.

Training and Development Matters – Town Clerk will resume her studies for a Community Governance Degree week commencing 8th February 2021. Her first year was funded privately and the Committee agreed to consider and support any further funding for the 2nd year when invoices are presented.

A report on the Social Media Training attended by the Events Manager was noted.

A request for the Town Clerk to attend 2 online courses was considered and the following was agreed:

***H/21/02/10.03 Recommendation***
That the request for online training SLCC – What to do if you consider a Bad/Unlawful Planning Decision 18th February 2021 £30+VAT and SLCC – Committees, Sub-Committees and Working Groups 1st March 2021 £15+VAT be approved.

Meeting closed at 7:21pm

Signed: By the Chairman Date: 08/03/2021

Summary of Recommendations

Recommendation	Recommendation Wording
*H/21/02/10.01 Recommendation*	That Public Holidays be included in Annual leave allowance from 1^st April 2021.
*H/21/02/10.02 Recommendation*	That the probation period for the Town Clerk be approved and an offer of permanent employment be made.
*H/21/02/10.03 Recommendation*	That the request for online training SLCC – What to do if you consider a Bad/Unlawful Planning Decision 18^th February 2021 £30+VAT and SLCC – Committees, Sub-Committees and Working Groups 1^st March 2021 £15+VAT be approved.