Apologies for absence were received from Councillor J Mounsey and Councillor M Havard

Declarations were noted from the Chair and Councillor M Stowe due to membership of their respective Trade Unions.

RESOLVED – That Item 4 ‘Pay and Benefits Review’ and Item 5 ‘Pensions Administration Staffing’ be considered in the absence of the public and press.

EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

RESOLVED – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and the public interest not to disclose information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.

The Committee considered a report of the Assistant Director – Resources that detailed a set of proposals designed to enhance the organisation’s pay and benefits offer in order to address the findings and recommendations from an independent pay and benefits review and benchmarking exercise undertaken in the last year. Following considerable discussion and questioning of officers the committee

RESOLVED –

a. To approve, subject to further consultation with the trade union and with staff, the set of proposals summarised at para 5.6, and the associated estimated additional costs set out within the report.

b. To authorise the Director and Assistant Director – Resources to finalise and implement new / revised policies for family support leave, loyal service award scheme, volunteering leave and salary sacrifice schemes within the parameters outlined in this report and following the usual process of agreeing such policies through formal liaison with the trades union.

Councillor D Fisher asked that his abstention be noted.

The Director presented a report that detailed a range of staffing changes within the Pensions Administration department following on from the Organisational Resilience and Sustainability exercise conducted in 2022. Following discussion and questioning of officers the committee

RESOLVED –

a. To approve, subject to further consultation with staff, the staffing changes set out at para 5.9 for inclusion for implementation during the current year with the ongoing implications being built into future budgets.

b. To authorise the Assistant Director – Pensions in consultation with the Assistant Director – Resources and the Chair to adjust the proposals in the light of consultation with staff, subject to this not increasing the overall headcount or cost beyond these proposals in the current year.