Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to provide an annual position statement in relation to strategic workforce related areas of assurance, workstreams/associated action plans and progress to date within key areas for Northumberland County Council for the full financial year of 2020/21.

To provide assurance to the Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview & Scrutiny Committee that there is provision and monitoring in place to achieve necessary Key Performance Indicators relating to the workforce on an ongoing basis.

To provide elected members with an overview of the strategic direction for the Council’s workforce related matters as part of the Covid-19 recovery plans for the county as these continue to evolve.

To provide members with an overview of the monitoring and actions taken during the period from 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021 in accordance with the Council’s Whistleblowing Policy for employees. Members are asked to note that other aspects of Whistleblowing which are not employee related are logged and maintained by the Council’s Monitoring Officer

K. Angus - Executive Director of HR and OD and Deputy Chief Executive, introduced the report paying tribute to the staff of the Council for their resilience and the emergency response provided for Covid as well as continuing with all business as usual activities.  The year had been very different, and staff had adapted fantastically to undertaking different ways of working and a wide number of health and wellbeing activities had been developed to assist and support staff during this period.

The report provided:

·       An annual position statement in relation to strategic workforce related areas of assurance, workstreams/associated action plans and progress to date within key areas for Northumberland County Council for the full financial year of 2020/21

·       Assurance to the Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview & Scrutiny Committee that there was provision and monitoring in place to achieve necessary Key Performance Indicators relating to the workforce on an ongoing basis.

·       Elected members with an overview of the strategic direction for the Council’s workforce related matters as part of the Covid-19 recovery plans for the county as these continued to evolve.

·       Members with an overview of the monitoring and actions taken during the period from 1^st April 2020 to 31^st March 2021 in accordance with the Council’s Whistleblowing Policy for employees. Members were asked to note that other aspects of Whistleblowing which were not employee related were logged and maintained by the Council’s Monitoring Officer.

Following questions from Members it was established that:

• The newly introduced Temporary Staff bank was growing and was also assisting in the recruitment of permanent staff.
• The Council had excellent relationships with trade unions who were very much involved in working in partnership with the Council. There was a trade union representative on the Workforce Committee and regular informal trade union meetings took place with the additional involvement of trade union colleagues in the Council’s policy sub-group.  There was also the Joint Consultative Committee which had just met the previous week.  There were many mechanisms to allow contributions from trade union colleagues which were valued.
• The whistleblowing service Safecall and the whistleblowing policy, in line with legislation was for employees, who are workers. Safecall was a subscription service to which the Council paid fees to cover staff only.
• Members of the public and Elected Members could still use Safecall as named or anonymous callers, but any issues received would be overseen by the Monitoring Officer.
•  There were currently three Deputy Monitoring Officers who were in place and would l be able to address any necessary issues for elected members.
• The Whistleblowing Policy was currently under review to ensure that it was explicit in relation to members of the public and elected members that they need to refer those matters of complaint to the Monitoring Officer.  K. Angus could arrange for the policy to be recirculated to the committee if required.
• Mrs Angus clarified that if a member of staff wished to make a complaint against an elected member their line manger would aim to resolve this informally, if the matter was not resolved it would need to go through the formal process as a code of conduct complaint which the Council already had an established process in place.
• The procedure for making complaints was outlined in the Constitution, however information could be provided to members and discussed through the Member Services Working Group to ensure that elected members were clear on the procedure.
• Exit interview statistics would be included in future workforce reports.
• The Council were working hard to reduce the reliance on agency staff with Heads of Service looking at alternatives to their long-term use.
• There were significant concerns regarding the increasing number of employees who had tested positive for Covid in the previous week and this would be closely managed. Staff are being provided with ongoing support in line with the Council’s health and wellbeing policy for those staff suffering the effects of Long Covid.

In relation to concerns regarding the turnover of S151 Officers, discussions had taken place with the Leader to ensure that a stable Executive Team was in place. 

Councillor Dunn proposed an extra recommendation that the Members Working Group reviewed the Whistleblowing policy in regards to Elected Members and then this be returned to this committee, this was seconded by Councillor Jackson.

RESOLVED that:

(i)             The Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview & Scrutiny Committee noted the contents of this report.

(ii)            Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview & Scrutiny Committee continue to receive an annual update of this report for every financial year.

(iii)          The data that was contained in the whistleblowing report and the ongoing work to promote a safe environment for staff to raise concerns though various mechanisms across the Council was noted; and

(iv)          The Members Working Group review the Whistleblowing policy in regards to Elected Members and a report be brought back to this Committee.

Councillor Oliver left the room at this point.