The General Purposes Committee of Haringey Council was scheduled to discuss a range of HR and organisational matters, including updates on the council's workforce, proposed amendments to the Organisational Change Policy, and the review of various HR policies. The committee was also set to receive minutes from other panels, including Appointments Panels and the Disciplinary, Grievance and Dismissal Panel.

People Report

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the council's workforce through the People Report for December 2024. This report, available as People Report.pdf, provides key workforce data and analysis. Headlines from the report indicated a 2.9% growth in the established workforce since September 2024, alongside a 6.1% rise in the pay bill, largely due to an agreed pay award. The report also highlighted a significant reduction in agency workers, contributing to a 17.1% cost saving, and a decrease in the proportion of agency staff within the overall workforce. Furthermore, the report detailed a reduction in the number of 'off payroll' workers with a daily rate exceeding £500, and noted an overall 1% increase in the total workforce. Sickness absence rates were reported to have improved across the board, with stress, mental health, anxiety, and depression being the top recorded reasons for absence. The report also provided figures on the council's 128 apprenticeships, with Placemaking & Housing, Adults, Health & Communities, and Children's Services having the highest numbers.

HR Policies

The committee was scheduled to review and potentially approve changes to several HR policies, as detailed in the HR Policy - GPC Report April 2025.pdf document. These included updates to the Ill Health Retirement and Parental Leave policies, aiming to align them with Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) best practice and legal requirements. The Ill Health Retirement Policy has been updated to include a clearer definition of ill health retirement, eligibility criteria, and an enhanced appeal process involving a review by the pension fund. The Parental Leave Policy has been revised to incorporate changes regarding Neonatal Pay and Leave, effective from April 6th, and includes guidance on maintaining communication during parental leave and ensuring a smooth return to work. The report also noted that the development of these policies was in line with the Equality Act 2010, which protects employees from discrimination.

Organisational Change Policy Amendment

A proposed amendment to the Organisational Change Policy was scheduled for discussion, specifically concerning the calculation of redundancy payments. The report, available as Organisational Change Policy Amendment.pdf, outlined changes to Appendix 1, which details how statutory redundancy payments are calculated. The proposed changes include capping the weekly pay used for redundancy calculations at £950, with future annual increases linked to the Consumer Prices Index. This cap is intended to manage costs and protect lower-paid employees. The report noted that this change would affect higher-paid employees more significantly, potentially reducing their redundancy pay compared to the current scheme. The amendment also includes a claw-back mechanism for employees where an additional payment is required to a pension fund upon redundancy, with the enhancement being offset against this payment. The report also mentioned that these proposed changes have been negotiated with trade unions.

Other Panels - Minutes of Meetings

The committee was due to receive and review minutes from various panels, as part of its oversight of the Council's staffing functions. These included minutes from the Appointments Panels held on 24 October 2024, 12 December 2024, 16 December 2024, and 17 December 2024, as well as minutes from the Disciplinary, Grievance and Dismissal Panel meeting on 11 December 2024. The minutes of the Appointments Panels detail the process for appointing individuals to senior roles within the council, such as Assistant Director for Asset Management, Corporate Director of Adults, Housing and Health, Assistant Director of Repairs and Compliance, and Director of Adult Social Care. The Disciplinary, Grievance and Dismissal Panel minutes would likely cover matters related to employee conduct and performance.