Agenda and minutes

In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, councillors are reminded that it is a requirement to declare interests where appropriate.

Councillors must also declare if they are subject to their party group whip in relation to any items under consideration.

The following disclosures were made:

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission held on 14 March 2022.

The minutes of the meeting of the Commission held on 14 March 2022 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair. 

To answer any questions or hear brief statements from the public which are relevant to the items on this agenda.  The period will end after 15 minutes or later at the Chair’s discretion.

No questions from the public were asked.

To consider report LDS/184 of the Head of Legal, Governance and HR.

Commission Members considered report LDS/184 of the Head of Governance, People & Performance.  In June 2021, Councillor T Belben under the Scrutiny Procuredure Rules had requested a report on staff sickness levels with Covid19 and the effects and impacts of working from home and an update was provided in November 2021.  It was recommended that the OSC receive an annual update on staff welfare, sickness and morale.

During the discussion, with the Head of Governance, People & Performance and HR Consultant, the following points were expressed:

·         Throughout the pandemic the majority of staff worked from home, whilst those that were not able to do so, continued their operational duties following completed risk assessments.

·         It was acknowledged that whilst staff had been previously testing this had resulted in more cases of Covid being documented.  However, as testing requirements had eased the number of cases had decreased and the number of staff since May had not reached double figures. In terms of figures and Covid absences, during 2021/22 quarter 4 Covid sickness was 24%, and Covid isolation was 1%. This compared to Q3 figures of Covid sickness 13% and Covid isolation of 1%. In terms of overall sickness, during quarter 4 stomach, liver, kidney attributed to 11%, stress, depression and mental health 8% and other musculoskeletal 8%.

·         Staff had been asked to have a presence in the office at least two days per week if full time and one day a week for part time staff and the Council had seen little resistance to this change and adaptation to hybrid working. It was anticipated that this hybrid working would continue as the Council progressed to the new Town hall.

·         The Council had continued to provide flu vaccines for staff and this take up had increased annually. In 2019, 167 individuals took up the offer and this had increased to 174 in 2020 and again in 2021 to 215 individuals.  The Council would shortly be rolling out the programme for 2022. 

·         The Council’s offer of support to staff had been made through the learning and development programme. The support outlined in report LDS/166 remained and was further documented in LDS/184. Part of the offer with further workshops for all colleagues had been delivered by Microsoft Teams and CBC Learning Channel and the workshop offer for people managers had been increased, including introducing those ‘in person’.  The Council’s Wellbeing Team also delivered various sessions as an aid to assist employees.

·         Additional sessions and workshops had been arranged for people managers along with the launch of a revised appraisal scheme.

·         There continued to be a take up of the counselling service. 123 staff members had used the service since 2019, although it was not apparent if the figures included repeated sessions during this period (2019 = 41, 2020 = 34, 2021 = 32, 2022 = 16 to date). The offer to staff is one round comprising of 6 sessions. The Council was seeing a number of people requiring more than the 6 sessions and in part  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Commission is asked to ratify the following appointments, which were documented at Annual Council on 27 May 2022:

Council-owned Neighbourhood Parades Scrutiny Panel.

To confirm the membership of the Scrutiny Panel.

Councillors Ayling, K Khan, Lanzer, Mwagale, Peck, Rana with Councillor Lanzer as Chair.

West Sussex Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee (HASC).

To confirm the HASC representative.

West Sussex Joint Scrutiny Steering Group (JSSG).

To confirm the JSSG representative – Must be the OSC Chair.

RESOLVED

That the Commission noted and approved the following memberships and appointments:

Council-owned Neighbourhood Parades Scrutiny Panel -

Councillors Ayling, K Khan, Lanzer, Mwagale, Peck, Rana, with Councillor Lanzer as Chair.

Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee (HASC)

It was moved by Councillor Khan, seconded by Councillor Ayling that Councillor Irvine be the Council’s representative for HASC.  There were no other nominations.

Councillor Irvine was appointed as the representative for the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee.

West Sussex Joint Scrutiny Steering Group (JSSG)

Councillor T Belben

To consider any requests for future items from the Forthcoming Decision Notices. Those highlighted items have already been referred to the Commission.

The Commission confirmed the following reports:

4 July

Treasury Management Outturn 2021 – 2022

Financial Outturn 2021-2022 (Quarter 4)

Public Spaces Protection Order - Keep your dog on a lead in Tilgate Park

Online Benefits (Part B)

Telford Place Land Proposal (Part B)