The General Purposes Committee of Haringey Council met on Tuesday 2nd July 2024 to discuss workforce data, proposed changes to HR policies, and an updated Trade Union Facility Time agreement. The meeting's report pack outlined discussions on the People Report for May and March 2024, proposed revisions to HR policies including the Disciplinary and Sickness Absence Policies, and the Trade Union Facility Time Agreement.

People Report - May and March 2024 Data

The committee was scheduled to review the People Report, which provides key workforce data and analysis. This report includes information on headcount, the cost of permanent and off-payroll staff, starters and leavers, sickness absence, and apprentices. The report highlighted a slight increase in the council's established workforce between December 2023 and March 2024, alongside an increase in workforce costs. Agency worker headcount remained broadly unchanged, but FTE and costs saw an increase, which was acknowledged as partly due to the Christmas break and a five-week payment period in March. The report also noted a decrease in the number of apprentices, attributed to 24 apprentices completing their qualifications. Sickness rates showed a slight reduction in average sick days and a notable decrease in short-term sickness.

HR Policies - Proposed Changes and Timetable for Future Changes

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing proposed changes to HR policies and a revised forward plan for policy reviews in 2024/25. The report outlined a new approach to policy revision, aiming to make policies shorter and easier to understand, incorporating elements previously found in separate practice notes. The five priority policies for review in 2024/25 were the Disciplinary Policy, Capability Policy, Grievance Policy, Dignity at Work Policy, and Sickness Absence Policy. The committee was to consider updated versions of the Sickness Absence Policy and the Disciplinary Policy. The proposed changes to the Disciplinary Policy included clarifying that suspension is a last resort and that line managers can act as investigating officers. The Sickness Absence Policy was to be updated with more thorough outlines of short and long-term absence, and details on sick pay entitlements.

Trade Union Facility Time Agreement

The committee was also scheduled to review an updated Trade Union Facility Time agreement, which dates back to 2011. The report indicated that the agreement needed modernisation to reflect substantial changes in the council's operations and service delivery since its inception. The updated agreement includes revised facility time allowances for each union, a mechanism for dispute resolution, and addresses changes in workforce size and union membership. Specific changes highlighted included an increase in allowances for the NAU and a decrease for Unite, based on membership and workload. The report also detailed a transitional agreement for proposed increases and decreases in facility time.

Organisational Change Policy (Amendment)

A recommendation was scheduled to be made regarding an amendment to Section 8.2 of the Organisational Change Policy, specifically concerning redeployment. The proposed change aimed to widen the grade band for suitable alternative posts for redeployment, from the current three grades to five grades. This change was intended to maximise redeployment opportunities and minimise redundancies. The report noted that this policy does not apply to teachers employed directly by the council, who have their own employment terms and conditions. Pay protection for 18 months was also mentioned for employees moving to a lower grade.