Meeting documents

The Committee received an update on key employment data and HR projects. During discussion the following points were highlighted:

·        Between 1 January and 31 March 2019, 373 staff were employed by the Councils’, along with an additional 15 agency workers. Staff turnover was at 15% and the number of leavers from the previous quarter had risen, particularly in the planning service, although a successful recruitment drive had seen all leavers in the planning service replaced with start dates set for August 2019.

·        Whilst there had been an increase in staff absence during April 2019, this improved in May and it was noted that 88% of employees had no sickness absence throughout April and May.

·        Project work was on-going with a particular focus on the health and wellbeing of staff and management development. The third cohort of the Management Development Programme had commenced and a one day refresher course on ‘inclusive leadership’ had been arranged for all managers who had attended the original Management Development Programme with an emphasis placed on supporting staff through the uncertainty arising from the transition to the new Buckinghamshire Council.

·        All Members of the HR team were involved in work around the unitary transition, with the HR Manager and Senior Business Partner both leading on two key projects as outlined in the report provided.

The Committee was advised that the decision had been reached for the Buckinghamshire Council to move to SAP finance, HR and payroll systems. The system was deemed to have the most capacity and was user friendly. As a result, all staff would move to a single pay date, likely to be the last working day of the month. It was confirmed that whilst Chiltern and South Bucks employees were currently paid on the 15^th of the month there would be financial support available should it be required during the additional 2 week gap between pay dates which would occur as a result of the change in pay date.  This would be cited as measure in the TUPE consultation.

It was confirmed to the Committee that all staff would be transferred to the new Buckinghamshire Council on their existing terms of employment. New terms and conditions of employment were being worked on.  It was not known at this stage if or when staff would move on to the new terms and conditions.   This would be decided as part of the transformation process post vesting day.  The new council might decide to not to change terms and conditions or this might be done by service area as service areas were transformed.

In response to a query on the vacancy management protocol which the existing Buckinghamshire Councils had introduced, it was confirmed that this had worked well initially with a number of staff moving across the Councils. It was noted that there had been an issue in the planning service where applicants had been successful in securing a role at another of the Buckinghamshire Councils’, only to then receive incentives to remain with their current Council. Therefore all planning posts had been made exempt from the protocol. Further vacancies had gone straight to external advert recently to avoid problems at the Councils which were caused from moving staff around.

The Committee agreed that the move to SAP would incur extensive costs and suggested that it be ensured this was within budget and cost less than the five existing systems that were in place.

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.