Present:-

Councillors Greenslade (Chairman), Hart, Smith and Mrs Spence (vice Mrs Owen)

Mr Franceschini, Mrs Andrews, Mr Houghton, Mr King, Ms Roberts, Mr Ryles and

Mr Spackman

Ms Wilson (representing Director of Personnel Performance), Mr Andrews (UNISON Regional Organiser) and Mr Turner (GMB)

PP/67 Minutes

(a) County Hall Travel Plan (minute PP/63)

The Staff Side briefly updated members on their position under minute PP/63. The Director of Personnel Performance had advised that any other discussion at this stage may be premature, given that this was due to be discussed at officer level at the next meeting of the Corporate Joint Consultative and Negotiating Committee (CJCNC) on 14 May 2008.

The Staff Side reported on the formal registering of their failure to agree on the proposals and that they hoped this would be resolved at the CNJNC meeting on 14 May. If however that was not possible, they would seek to bring this matter back to this Partnership.

(b) AGREED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2007 be signed as a correct record.

PP/68 Shaw Healthcare Update on Recognition

The Staff Side referred to the Memorandum of Understanding of 25 April 2008 from Shaw Healthcare as circulated with the agenda, regarding the transfer of residential services under TUPE regulations. Staff Side were concerned that Shaw Healthcare did not formally recognise trade unions for collective bargaining, whereas the Staff Side felt they should be involved in both negotiations and collective bargaining and also had some concerns at the last paragraph in the Memorandum. There were lots of proposed changes, refurbishments, closures and possible changes to the client base and the Staff Side wanted to be involved with this. Shaw Healthcare would however involve trade unions in general decision making.

There was to be a further meeting on 19 May regarding Shaw s working arrangements with trade unions and the trade unions would like to see a more detailed Memorandum following this meeting. GMB had acknowledged that the Memorandum was closer to what they wished than was the case with Unison.

The Staff Side welcomed the united approach put forward from DCC s Employer s and Staff Sides. DCC was required to maintain its monitoring role for the duration of any contract in the future.

PP/69 Industrial Relations Improvements

The Staff Side felt there were very good relations with management which they wanted to continue particularly given various issues in progress, including job evaluation appeals and the local government boundary review and wished to seek support for facility time. The Staff Side considered that their branch secretary post helped to work on more difficult issues and could minimise the need to come to the Partnership over issues where there had been a failure to agree. The Staff Side referred to the many successes in their day to day work with management and would welcome management items being brought to these Partnership meetings for general discussion, rather than items necessarily referring to issues and negotiations which were more difficult.

PP/70 Local Government Boundary Review

The Staff Side thanked Councillor Greenslade for the informal meeting they had had with him and the Chief Executive on 22 April 2008. The Staff Side stressed their wish to be able to maintain public services continually irrespective of any reorganisation and hoped that members would support a fair for all staffing policy for local government officers in view of the benefits for all parties and the amount of other uncertainties many staff were also undergoing eg through job evaluation. Experience gained from the last reorganisation and other large structural changes would be of benefit and a lot of early planning work was already being carried out with district councils to try to achieve a seamless transfer. The Boundary Commission s decision expected in July this year was awaited.

PP/71 Job Evaluation Update

The Staff Side wanted to complete the appeals process (including appeals for schools) by the end of this year, given it would help both the authority and employees if this was completed prior to work required by the local government review. Some union stewards were still experiencing problems in not being given sufficient time to attend appeals with staff.

The Management Side confirmed that this was an important process and JE appeals needed to be expedited. The Staff Side undertook to forward any information to the Director of Personnel Performance and to contact the other joint secretaries regarding where difficulties were being experienced.

AGREED that the Director of Personnel Performance be requested to look into areas of difficulty and also send a further general reminder about release of TU stewards to support this activity to heads of directorates.

PP/72 Dates of Future Meetings

The Staff Side requested that a calendar of meetings be drawn up to help in planning diaries.

(a) that the next meeting be held during July 2008 (date to be confirmed);

(b) that a calendar of meetings for the year be drawn up by the Chief Executive.

The meeting started at 12 noon and finished at 1pm.

The Minutes of this Committee are published on the County Council's Website at:-