Corporate Governance Committee (Wirral Council) 26th October 2011 5.00pm (Committee Room 1) Part 4

Chris Hyams agreed that she would report back next time. Cllr Foulkes asked if the report was agreed. Cllr Jeff Green asked if they would use an electronic or paper based system? He would prefer them to use an electronic system for the appraisals. Chris Hyams said they would but not in the first instance, … Continue reading “Corporate Governance Committee (Wirral Council) 26th October 2011 5.00pm (Committee Room 1) Part 4”

Chris Hyams agreed that she would report back next time. Cllr Foulkes asked if the report was agreed. Cllr Jeff Green asked if they would use an electronic or paper based system? He would prefer them to use an electronic system for the appraisals.

Chris Hyams said they would but not in the first instance, but once it was live they would link it and log it as complete.

David Smith said they needed to consider the kind of council they wanted in six to nine months time and what information would be held electronically.

Cllr Foulkes said everything would be interlinked and thanked Chris.

Jim Wilkie introduced the report on corporate governance. He said items three and four on the agenda were interlinked. He said the reports described how it would be organised. Mr. Wilkie also said there were comprehensive work plans, which had the capacity to be complex and confusing which set out the main issues and key lines of enquiry as well as what was to be done, who would do it and the timelines. Resources were required and there were interdependencies. There was enough work to do but a limited amount of time. They might need additional external support to supplement Anna Klonowoski which would give an external perspective as well as help with backfilling. He asked the committee for its initial views and secondly its views or reaction over the allocation of resources. He asked if there should be a dedicated budget and said it was important for councillors across the organisation to be involved in the process.

Corporate Governance Committee (Wirral Council) 26th October 2011 5.00pm (Committee Room 1) Part 3

Cllr Tom Harney said there were two things. The first was the business of when, he wanted a finite date and said it “can’t wait forever” and “if we miss the date we should do something about it”. The second was that [the Cabinet]’s job was to manage and they were responsible for managing people, this can’t wait six months.

Cllr Foulkes said their credibility hinged on redefining corporate governance. Imparting core skills on people he didn’t see as a problem. However there might be smaller adjustments at the end. He wanted to make as much progress as he could without damaging the integrity of the system. Cllr Foulkes said he noted the report fed into the wider discussion. He took on board Tom’s point, but there was enough in the Anna Klonowski Associates report. First they would deal with the two hundred top managers making small minor improvements, he said they would “not just carry on what we’ve done before” which was waiting for policy.

Cllr Ann McArdle said the worst thing they could do would be to destroy the integrity of the process.

Chris Hyams talked about the objectives and expectations and steering the meeting through a difficult conversation.

Cllr Phil Davies said he worried about launching a training program. He went on to talk about the culture, roles, responsibilities and behaviours which were linked. He worried that Chris’ training should look at all component parts.

Anna Klonowski said the tools and techniques used shouldn’t undermine what was a precursor to launching anything.

Corporate Governance Committee (Wirral Council) 26th October 2011 5.00pm (Committee Room 1) Part 2

The Chief Executive Jim Wilkie said it had been commissioned before Anna [Klonowski]’s work. He said that in the clear light of Anna’s report that there were important connections and this was an opportunity for the committee to give its view. He asked if it is correct and if not correct they would bring it back quickly. They would get on with the performance appraisals as soon as possible but were looking for guidance.

Cllr Foulkes asked if Chris wanted to add anything.

Chris said the paper had been received by Cabinet and mentioned individual performance appraisals, leadership and the performance framework. Cllr Foulkes said he had a suggestion and read his recommendation. The recommendation noted the report and asked for it to be considered holistically with the wider performance framework. He asked if work could continue or if this was part of the forward work stream and compared it to the chicken and the egg.

Cllr Jeff Green said he agreed and talked about transferable skills of top senior managers. He said unless they were careful they could “gum up” but that these were “good starting points”. Cllr Green said he would’ve thought they could train people to start giving people an expectation about how the appraisal interview will be done as well as discipline over how it happens. He said one of the key priorities was over moving forward, otherwise there would be a dam later on, so it needed to be delivered to the front end and subsumed into the work program.

Visit to Wallasey Town Hall (Wednesday afternoon)

I spent an enjoyable afternoon with the Wirral History and Heritage Association at Wallasey Town Hall on Wednesday afternoon. Joy gave an excellent lecture about Wirral’s history and how Wallasey Town Hall came into existence (and what has happened in it since) and a really in-depth look at the history of the Borough.

The Mayor showed us around the Mayor’s parlour (where she kindly offered us all a cup of tea or coffee), the Council Chamber, Round Room, Civic Hall and unfortunately at this point in the tour I had to go (missing the tour of one of the Committee Rooms). Pictures are below if you’re interested. As usual you can click on the thumbnails for a larger version.





Wallasey Town Hall
This is in the lobby and describes how the building was used during WWI.


Wallasey Town Hall
Every year Tam O’Shanter Urban Farm pays a pinecone as rent to Wirral Council. This is a few years of pinecone rents in the Mayor’s parlour.


Wallasey Town Hall
Wirral Council’s mace.


Wallasey Town Hall
Wirral Council’s mace.


Wallasey Town Hall
Wirral Council’s mace.


Wallasey Town Hall
Wirral Council’s mace.


Wallasey Town Hall
Clock and statues in the Mayor’s parlour.


Wallasey Town Hall
This is the seat the Mayor sits in at Council meetings.


Wallasey Town Hall
The Round Room (each picture is a former Mayor).


Wallasey Town Hall
The Round Room (each picture is a former Mayor).


Wallasey Town Hall
The Civic Hall


Wallasey Town Hall
Roof of the Civic Hall


Wallasey Town Hall
Roof of the Civil Hall


Wallasey Town Hall
The Civic Hall from the balcony.

Corporate Governance Committee (Wirral Council) 26th October 2011 5.00pm (Committee Room 1) Part 1

The agenda and reports for this committee can be found by clicking on this link.

Present:
Corporate Governance Committee
Chair, Cllr Steve Foulkes
Cllr Phil Davies
Cllr Adrian Jones
Cllr Anne McArdle
Cllr Ann McLachlan

Co-optee (no voting rights) Cllr Jeff Green
Co-optee (no voting rights) Cllr Tom Harney

Also present

Officers

Bill Norman (Borough Solicitor)

Jim Wilkie (Chief Executive)

Ian Coleman (Director of Finance & Deputy Chief Executive)

David Smith (Deputy Director of Finance)

Also

Anna Klonowski
A couple of members of the public/press
A number of other officers

Cllr Foulkes, once the microphones had been put out began the first meeting of the Corporate Governance Committee.

He said he couldn’t start the meeting without him [Cllr Jeff Green]. Some jokes were made about Cllr Jeff Green’s smoking habit and the people present waited for Cllr Jeff Green to return. Once he returned Cllr Foulkes asked for any declarations of interest. No declarations of interest were declared.

Cllr Foulkes said there’d be a slight change to the agenda as Chris Hyams [Head Of Human Resources & Organisational Development] needed to leave early as Cllr Foulkes said she had worked hard. Therefore they would be dealing with item 7 first which was on performance management, along with its six appendices.