Agenda item

Report of the Director of People and Culture (PC/24/1) giving a progress report on the People First Strategy - Action Plan, attached.

A copy of the presentation to be given at the meeting is also attached.

RESOLVED

(a) that the update be noted and welcomed; and

(b) that delegated authority be given to the Director of People & Culture in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Organisational Development, Workforce & Digital Transformation to make minor amendments.

(Councillors Dewhirst, Leaver and Whitton attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Director of People & Culture (PC/24/1), circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

A presentation was also given at the meeting, the contents of which had been circulated with the agenda for the meeting.

Cabinet had approved the new People Strategy in June 2023 and the associated Action Plan in September 2023 which had been identified as a priority in response to a number of issues.

A key priority for the People Strategy was to outline how the Council had the appropriately skilled people to deliver services to communities and ensure the Council was fit for the future. The quality of relationships and engagement with key stakeholders and partners was also key. The Action Plan outlined the delivery of this over the next 3 years and the Report provided a summary of the progress to date.

The Strategy focused on 6 key themes of staff experience which was Voice, Recruitment, Reward, Wellbeing, Belonging and Learning.

An update was given against the following actions:

·       develop and implement a communication and engagement strategy;

·       use a structured approach to engagement and co-creation;

·       creation of a safe, shared space for achievements, success, kindness, and general feedback;

·       incorporate learning from an ‘outward mindsets’ approach with a review of the Principles & Behaviours;

·       design a recruitment strategy to deliver a balance between internal movement and external recruitment, and DCC an employer of choice;

·       complete a cycle of workforce planning to identify workforce needs and alignment to organisational priorities;

·       deliver a benefits platform to broaden the benefits offered to people;

·       develop and deliver a framework to celebrate achievements, both formally and informally;

·       review and update the 1:1 and appraisal conversations;

·       procurement of an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP);

·       procurement of an Occupational Health service;

·       support the Corporate Equality Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan;

·       use learning and data from engagement strategy, including staff surveys and exit interview feedback; and

·       design and deliver a corporate learning strategy, aligned to priorities, which developed professional learning; - this includes a programme to roll out an ‘outward mindsets’ approach.

In addition to the work detailed in the Report, there were specific actions to target the improvement of the experience of Care Leavers within Devon. The actions and progress made was detailed in the presentation appended.

Cabinet noted that whilst progress against delivering specific actions could be measured, measuring culture was less linear, however key metrics such as turnover, absence rates, grievance/disciplinary and net promoter score within annual staff survey were all used.

In summary, the delivery of the Action Plan was well underway and the majority were in line with timeframes allocated and many of the actions noted as ‘on schedule’ were expected to be completed during Q1.

The matter having been debated and the options and alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability and carbon impact, risk management, equality and legal considerations and alignment with the Council’s Strategic Plan) set out in the Director’s Report having been considered:

it was MOVED by Councillor Hart, SECONDED by Councillor McInnes, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the update be noted and welcomed; and

(b) that delegated authority be given to the Director of People & Culture in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Organisational Development, Workforce & Digital Transformation to make minor amendments.