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Employment and Appointments Sub-Committee (Compromise Contracts) (Wirral Council) 20th September 2012

Employment and Appointments Sub-Committee (Compromise Contracts) Date: 20/9/2012 Time: 5.15pm Committee Room 4 Employment and Appointments Subcommittee (Compromise Contracts) Cllr Chris Meaden, Labour Cllr Andrew Hodson, Conservative Cllr Mark Johnston, Liberal Democrat Officers Andrew Mossop, Committee Services Officer Surjit Tour, Acting Director of Law, HR and Asset Management Chris Hyams Head of HR and Organisational Development Tony Williams, Employee … Continue reading “Employment and Appointments Sub-Committee (Compromise Contracts) (Wirral Council) 20th September 2012”

Employment and Appointments Sub-Committee (Compromise Contracts)
Date: 20/9/2012
Time: 5.15pm

Committee Room 4

Employment and Appointments Subcommittee (Compromise Contracts)
Cllr Chris Meaden, Labour
Cllr Andrew Hodson, Conservative
Cllr Mark Johnston, Liberal Democrat

Officers
Andrew Mossop, Committee Services Officer
Surjit Tour, Acting Director of Law, HR and Asset Management
Chris Hyams Head of HR and Organisational Development
Tony Williams, Employee Relations

In attendance
Cllr Jeff Green, Conservative
Cllr Adrian Jones, Labour, Cabinet Member (Corporate Services)
Two members of public

1 Appointment of Chair
Cllr Andrew Hodson proposed Cllr Chris Meaden as Chair.
Cllr Mark Johnston seconded Cllr Chris Meaden as Chair.
There were no other nominations for Chair.
Cllr Chris Meaden was appointed as Chair.
Cllr Chris Meaden took the Chair.

2 Declarations of Interest
The Chair, Cllr Chris Meaden, asked if anybody had any declarations of interest to make. None were made by Cllrs Meaden, Hodson or Johnson.

3. Exclusion of press/public
The Chair asked if the Sub-Committee agreed to exclude members of the press and public for agenda item 4 by a resolution moved using s.100(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 c. 70 (information relating to any individual). The other members of the Subcommittee, Cllr Mark Johnston and Cllr Andrew Hodson agreed with her.

The two members of the public left the meeting.

4. Compromise Contract
A four page report of Chris Hyams, Head of HR and Organisational Development (in conjunction with Legal) was considered by the Sub-Committee of Cllrs Meaden, Johnston and Hodson regarding a recommendation about a proposed compromise contract of over £30,000 to terminate the employment of a Wirral Council employee’s contract (who wasn’t a member of school staff).

Cabinet (Wirral Council) 24th November 2011 Declarations of Interest Part 1

Present:
Cllr Steve Foulkes (Chair) (Finance and Best Value)
Cllr Chris Meaden (Culture, Tourism and Leisure)
Cllr Harry Smith (Streetscene & Transport Services)
Cllr Ann McLachlan (Children’s Services & Lifelong Learning)
Cllr Anne McArdle (Social Care & Inclusion)
Cllr Jean Stapleton (Community & Customer Engagement)
Cllr Adrian Jones (Corporate Resources)
Cllr Phil Davies (Regeneration & Planning Strategy)
Cllr George Davies (Housing & Community Safety)
Cllr Brian Kenny (Environment)

Cllr Steve Foulkes started the meeting at 6.15pm saying he was going to take three items of Any Other Business first as they were urgent. He was pre-warning people. He wanted a verbal update on the one day strike. Cllr George Davies had an announcement to make on housing funding and he wanted a quick verbal on issues about gas supplies in Leasowe and Moreton East, as well as a further future report on the lessons learnt.

Cllr Jeff Green said there was speculation surrounding the Serious Fraud Office investigation.
Cllr Steve Foulkes said he had not been informed that the situation had changed, although he was aware of some things.

He asked for declarations of interest.

Cllr Phil Davies declared an interest in item 12 as he was a trustee of the Wirral Food bank, however as he was not a Council appointed trustee, he asked Bill Norman for advice as to whether the interest was personal or prejudicial.
Bill Norman replied that in his opinion it was personal, not prejudicial.
Cllr Chris Meaden declared an interest in item 5 (Annual Children’s Services Assessment 2011) because of her daughter’s employment.

Cabinet 1st September 2011 Part 10 – Planned Property Maintenance 2011/12, Library Information Screens, Solar Photovoltaic Project, Tender Outcome for Assistive Technology

Bill Norman said he was happy to take any questions on the Planned Property Maintenance 2011/12 report and Appendix. Cllr Phil Davies said he felt he had earned a transfer. The report was agreed.

Ian Coleman introduced the next report on Library Information Screens and said it was an extension to an existing contract. Cllr Meaden said she had “no problem whatsoever” and the report was agreed.

Bill Norman talked about the Solar Photovoltaic Project report and said that the viability of feed-in tariff was subject to review. The concern was about using it for commercial purposes. 4.13 outlined some changes to the program. Cllr Brian Kenny said it had been deferred from the 21st July and this was the third draft. He said the draft was now more cautious and a sensible way forward. Cllr Phil Davies said it was a good example of the sort of project that led to carbon reduction and financial savings. It was agreed.

The next report was on the Tender Outcome for Assistive Technology. The existing contract started in 2008 and ran to October 2011. Cllr Phil Davies recommended that it be read with the exempt appendix, however they were not to name the company. Bill Norman said they could name the company. Cllr Phil Davies asked Bill Norman to name the company. McWain Smart was named by Bill Norman. Cllr Ann McArdle said it was welcome, but they wanted more resources to put into it. The report was agreed.

Cabinet 1st September 2011 Part 6 – You Choose Budget Consultation, Local Development Framework – Local Geological Sites Update

Jim Wilkie said in parallel with the simulator the engagement team had planned 120 events at a range of facilities. He said he had the list with him. Cllr Phil Davies asked if this was at supermarkets, One-Stop Shops and libraries and if this was in addition to the work on the Neighbourhood Pans and Scrutiny? He also asked when it will run till? Ian Coleman answered that it would run until the 30th November then a full analysis would come to Cabinet in December. Jim Wilkie said he couldn’t find any supermarkets on the list. Cllr Phil Davies said they had a flavour of the budget simulator and how it works. He expected further reports at the end and encouraged everybody to have a go. He said 40-odd local authorities of all political colours were signed to it. He said it made residents think about issues about spending. Cllr Chris Meaden thanked the staff for the wonderful job meeting with residents and asked this to be passed on please. Cllr Phil Davies said the Community Engagement Team had promoted it well especially for people who were not good with computers. He thanked Ian Coleman and Peter Molyneux. The report was noted.

The Cabinet then considered a report on the Local Development Framework – Local Geological Sites Update and its Local Geological Sites Report Appendix. Kevin Adderley said he had nothing to add to the report. Some had been added, some deselected and some modified. The report was agreed.

Cabinet 1st September 2011 Part 2 – Minutes, Budget Projections 2012-2015

The minutes of the meeting held on the 21st July 2011 were agreed. The next item was Budget Projections 2012-15 introduced by the Director of Finance Ian Coleman. Mr. Coleman said there had been minor changes from July, Parliament had been in recess so there had only been consultation papers. Cllr Davies (Phil) said it was a standard report to note and review. He noted that the shortfall of £25.3 million continued to bear down on the budget [for 2012/2013]. He said there were “big challenges”. He referred to section 4.2.1 of the report and stated the Formula Grant had been decreased by £41 million [Ed – the actual figure in the report was £14 million not £41 million]. He said the issues in the next item regarding business rates “could be a challenge”. He referred to the meeting next Tuesday with a government minister in which councillors would explain Wirral’s case and hopefully get a sympathetic hearing. There would be a report back next time.

At this point the mobile of Cllr Chris Meaden (Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Leisure) started ringing loudly which drowned out what her colleague Cllr Ann McLachlan was trying to say. Once Cllr Chris Meaden had found the mobile in her bag and switched it off, Cllr McLachlan finished by saying that £14 million was a lot of money and she encouraged the representation from Wirral Council. The report was noted.

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