Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 27^th June 2007, having been printed and circulated, were taken as read and agreed as a correct record.

            The Committee considered a report of the Strategic Director – Corporate and Policy providing an update on the implementation of the National Job Evaluation Scheme.

            It was noted that the outcomes for the pay and grading review had recently been implemented, and all staff on Green Book terms and conditions had received a letter explaining their new grade together with an information pack containing details such as what they should do if they wished to exercise their right of appeal. A joint union/management work group had been established, which met on a weekly basis to determine various agreements in connection with the pay and grading review such as the new pay structure, the Appeals Procedure and pay protection. The Unions had been consulted on these matters and a Pay and Grading Framework Agreement had been drafted and signed by all parties.

            Non-teaching jobs in schools had been dealt with in a slightly different way and details were provided for the Committee’s information. It was advised that some schools had already started this process and the Job Evaluation Team had briefed staff and evaluated jobs accordingly.

            The Committee noted that, as the Pay and Grading review could only evaluate the basic grades for jobs, management and Unions now needed to consider how premium payments and local agreements such as consolidated rates would be dealt with and a separate negotiation had commenced to address such issues and ensure corporate consistency.

            RESOLVED: That

(1)               the content of the report be noted;

(2)               the Appeals process be noted and endorsed;

(3)               Council be recommended to endorse the process; and

(4)               Committee Members be advised of the total number of appeals received following the closing date for submission.

The Committee considered:

(1)            whether Members of the press and public should be excluded from the meeting of the Board during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with Sub-Section 4 of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be considered, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972; and

(2)            whether the disclosure of information was in the public interest, whether any relevant exemptions were applicable and whether, when applying the public interest test and exemptions, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed that in disclosing the information.

            RESOLVED: That as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with Sub-Section 4 of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 because it is likely that, in view of the nature of the business, exempt information will be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

            The Committee agreed that this report be withdrawn.