Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Cecil Street, Margate, Kent. View directions

Contact: Charles Hungwe 

Link: This meeting will be livestreamed

Media

Items
No. Item

32.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.

33.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 113 KB

To receive any declarations of interest. Members are advised to consider the advice contained within the Declaration of Interest advice attached to this Agenda. If a Member declares an interest, they should complete the Declaration of Interest Form

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

34.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 77 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 24 January 2023, copy attached.

Minutes:

Councillor Donaldson proposed, Councillor Everitt seconded and Members agreed the minutes as a correct record of the General Purposes Committee meeting that was held on 24 January 2023.

35.

Minutes of Extraordinary Meeting pdf icon PDF 71 KB

To approve the minutes of the extraordinary meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 10 July 2023, copy attached.

Minutes:

Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor Donaldson seconded and Members agreed the minutes as a correct record of the General Purposes Committee meeting that was held on 7 July 2023.

36.

Scheme of Officer Delegations pdf icon PDF 81 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Nick Hughes, Committee Services Manager introduced the report and made the following comments:

 

  • As part of the review by the Independent Monitoring Officer, it was recommended to review the scheme of Officer Delegations to ensure that it was clear and easy to understand;
  • The review of this scheme represented one strand of the IMO recommendations;
  • The scheme would also ensure that appropriate Member engagement in strategic decision making was factored into the decision making process;
  • The Scheme of Cabinet and committees’ delegations had been agreed at Annual Council in May this year;
  • As a result of that, all other decision making powers not retained by Cabinet and not exercised by committees were delegated to the CEx as Head of Paid Service;
  • The scheme demonstrated how the CEx had further delegated his various powers to Directors who in turn delegated officers in their various service areas;
  • It was within the CEx’s gift to amend the scheme of officer delegations, as the Head of Paid Service;
  • The report was therefore being presented to the committee for information and noting;
  • Once finalised, the scheme would be added to the Council website.

 

The Chair asked whether officer names would be added to the officer delegations to make it easier for Members to refer.

 

Colin Carmichael, Interim CEx said that a paper copy of the senior staff structure from the Head of Service level and in some instances their respective managers below that level would be printed in a larger format and circulate to all the Members.

 

Thereafter Members noted the report.

37.

Pay Policy Statement 2023/24 pdf icon PDF 75 KB

Report to follow

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Sarah Flack, Employee Relations Lead introduced the report and made the following comments:

 

·  This was an update to the Pay Policy Statement that the committee was being asked to consider and approve, subject to a consultation with the trade unions and staff;

·  The updates were made to the Chief Officers and Deputy Chief Officers to reflect the current establishment;

·  There were proposals to introduce pay increments according to when the employee starts and this would be included in the Pay Policy;

·  The Corporate Management Team had reviewed and agreed these proposals;

·  Officers were not envisaging any significant changes from the consultation;

·  The new Pay Policy if approved, would be implemented as from December 2023.

 

A Member asked why some of the job grades that included TG ‘A’ and TG ‘B’ had been removed from the proposed pay policy.

 

Sarah Flack said that a review of the pay grades had been undertaken which led to the first two job grades being deleted to improve staff salary conditions and as a commitment by the Council to pay staff the national minimum wage.

 

Councillor Scobie proposed, Councillor Albon seconded and The General Purposes Committee agreed to adopt the Pay Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2023/24, subject to a 30-day consultation with the recognised trade unions and staff.