Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were received.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Blank and Davenport.

RESOLVED –

That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 4 December, 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The HR Officer presented a new policy which combined the existing policies on restructuring, redeployment, redundancy and protection of earnings into one policy document.

The protection of earnings was reviewed through the recent pay and reward project and agreement was reached on the reduction of pay protection from 3 years to 18 months which brought it in line with other neighbouring authorities. The restructuring and redeployment policies had been revised and the trade unions had been consulted during the process.

The new policy had been submitted and endorsed by the Employer/Trade Union Committee. A full equality impact assessment had been completed and was attached as an appendix to the officer’s report.

*RESOLVED –

1.   That the new restructuring, redeployment and redundancy policy be approved.

2.   That the paragraph 10 of the policy be amended to “Manager, in consultation with the portfolio holder(s), drafts report for Joint Cabinet and Employment and General Committee.

The Director of Finance and Resources submitted a report seeking approval of the Tax Base calculation for 2018/19.

The Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended) required the Borough Council as Billing Authority to calculate the tax base for the Borough and the Parishes and to notify the Major Precepting Authorities (Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire Policy Authority), and those Parishes requesting it, by 31 January each year.

The report gave details of how the tax base was calculated and the legal implications.

*RESOLVED –

1.   That the report for the calculation of the Council’s Tax Base for the whole and parts of the area for 2018/19 be approved.

2.   That pursuant to the report and in accordance with Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended), the amount calculated by Chesterfield Borough Council as its Tax Base for the year 2018/19 shall be:

REASON FOR DECISIONS

To fulfil a statutory requirement to enable the Council Tax to be set later in the financial year.

-      Report to follow

The Director of Finance and Resources submitted a report seeking approval for the National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) estimates and NNDR1 Return for 2018/19.

The Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended) required the Borough Council as Billing authority to calculate the Tax Base for the Borough and the Parishes and to notify the Major Precepting Authorities (Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire Authority), and those Parishes which requested it, by 31st January each year.

The Local Government Finance Act introduced the part-retention of income from Business Rates from April 2013. The income generated is to be shared between the Government (50%), the County Council (9%), the Fire Authority (1%) and the Borough Council (40%). A bid was submitted to the Government in October 2017 for the current members of the Derbyshire Pool to become a 100% Business Rates Retention Pilot for 2018/19; the bid was successful. The terms of the pilot included a ‘no detriment’ clause, meaning that the Council would be no worse off financially than under the Derbyshire Pool arrangements. As a result the income generated in 2018/19 will be shared between the Government (0%), the County Council (49%), the Fire Authority (1%) and the Borough Council (50%).

The Council was required to complete and approve the NNDR1 Return, showing how the estimated income had been calculated and how it was to be shared.

The report gave details of how the tax base was calculated and also how the estimated net yield would be shared, together with the legal implications.

 *RESOLVED –

1.   That the estimated National Non Domestic Rates estimates as recorded on the NNDR1 Return (Appendix A to the report) be approved.

2.   That the Director of Finance and Resources be given delegated authority to make any subsequent changes to the NNDR1 return that are identified before the final submission date of the 31 January, 2018.

REASON FOR DECISIONS

To fulfil the statutory requirements to approve the estimated Business Rates income. The information is required by the Government and by the Council and the other precepting authorities to enable them to set their Council Taxes.

To move “That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act".

RESOLVED –

That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

The Operations Manager at Queen’s Park Sports Centre submitted a report seeking approval to apply permanent contracts to existing vacant hours and increase the hours of the Centre Attendant posts on annualised contracts at Queen’s Park Sports Centre and the Healthy Living Centre.

Since opening the new sports centre there had been a significant increase in demand upon the operational team due to an improved activity programme and increased numbers of customers using the facilities. To ensure standards of health and safety are delivered, minimum supervision levels needed to be maintained.

At present, staff on zero hour contracts were used to cover the vacant hours which are not covered by contracted staff. By permanently contracting the hours, overtime costs would be reduced and continuity in delivering the activity programmes would be sustained.

The report contained details of the financial implications and risks associated to not permanently contracting the hours. The Operations Manager advised that consultations had taken place with the Cabinet Member, Executive Director, Director of Finance and Resources and HR Manager who supported the recommendations.

*RESOLVED –

1.   That the current vacant hours across both sports centres on the Centre Attendant rota be permanently contracted.

2.   That the Centre Attendant posts on annualised hours contracts be increased by 7 hours a week.

Reasons for decisions

1.   To ensure that the centres can continue to provide the programmes that they operate.

2.   To reduce the number of hours on rota currently covered by staff who are on zero hour contracts.

3.   To reduce the operational costs associated with overtime.

4.   To ensure continued support for activities where there is a need for health and safety, e.g. swimming pool programme.

5.   To ensure that there is commitment to developing standards at the centres, particularly with regards to cleanliness.

6.   To ensure that current activity programmes can be delivered ensuring that opportunities are provided for people to undertake physical exercise.

7.   To enable activities to be provided that will sustain the centres current level of income and continue this further so that both centres can work towards a zero subsidy for the Council.

8.   To provide greater opportunities for the centres to make a positive contribution to the Council’s Plan.

The Minutes of the Employer/Trade Union Committee held on 20 November, 2017 were considered.

RESOLVED –

1.   That the Minutes be received and noted.

2.   That the reasons for applying for IiP re-accreditation be fed back to the Committee.