The General Purposes Committee of Greenwich Council scheduled a meeting to discuss the implementation of a new workforce strategy and to agree on an appointment to an outside body. Councillors were also expected to declare any personal or financial interests related to the agenda items. The meeting was also scheduled to confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2025¹.

Our Greenwich: Workforce Strategy 2025 – 2029

The committee was scheduled to discuss and agree to the publication and implementation of the Our Greenwich: Workforce Strategy 2025 – 2029. The strategy is described as a blueprint for how investment in the council's workforce will help achieve the ambitions of the Our Greenwich ² corporate plan.

The Workforce Strategy focuses on themes that connect all people-related plans, ensuring staff feel valued and understand how their work contributes to overall goals. It aims to make the Royal Borough of Greenwich an 'employer of choice' by highlighting the benefits of working for the council.

The strategy identifies key challenges affecting the organisation, including diversity and inclusion, wellbeing and equality, and recruitment and retention. It is structured around five objectives:

1. Attracting and recruiting talented people
2. Strengthening the diverse and inclusive workforce
3. Supporting and developing people
4. Promoting wellbeing for everyone
5. Leading and delivering change

Each objective includes the council’s vision, its importance, and the challenges it poses. The strategy aligns these objectives with staff values, summarised as impactful, inclusive, accountable, innovative, and collaborative.

Insights from the Your Say, Our Greenwich Staff Survey (Spring 2024) were incorporated into the Workforce Strategy, with three priorities emerging:

• All staff to feel safe to speak up and be heard
• We are all part of one team working better
• All staff have access to learning so we can improve what we do

The strategy aims to be a living framework that shapes organisational culture, performance, and impact, empowering staff and driving consistent leadership.

The report outlined two options:

• Agree to the new Workforce Strategy, providing a blueprint for investment in the workforce to achieve the missions of Our Greenwich.
• Do nothing, which would leave the council without an agreed Workforce Strategy, posing risks such as unclear direction, inconsistent leadership, and reduced staff engagement.

The preferred option was to agree to the new Workforce Strategy.

The council engaged with staff, managers, and senior leaders to develop the strategy. Future staff surveys will have action plans detailing responses to staff feedback.

If agreed, the Our Greenwich Workforce Strategy would become the new Workforce Strategy for the organisation, with a dedicated webpage set up on the council’s intranet and website. Accountability for delivering the outcomes would be achieved by reporting to the Organisation Board and the Organisation and Communities Overview & Scrutiny Panel, as well as internally to senior leadership.

Appointment to Outside Bodies for 2025

The Committee was scheduled to consider the appointment of individuals to non-executive outside bodies. Councillor Calum O'Byrne Mulligan was nominated to Trinity Laban ³.

Declarations of Interest

The committee was scheduled to note the list of councillors’ memberships on outside bodies, joint committees and school governing bodies. Councillors were expected to declare any personal or financial interests in specific items listed on the agenda.

The list of councillors' memberships included:

• Councillor Leo Fletcher as a member of Blackheath Joint Working Party, a member of John Roan Foundation, and an observer of Meridian Homestart.
• Councillor Pat Greenwell as a member of Reserves Forces & Cadets Association, and a governor of Haimo Primary.
• Councillor Matt Hartley as a deputy on Overview and Scrutiny Joint Health Committee.
• Councillor Averil Lekau as a deputy on Eltham Crematorium Joint Committee, a member of London City Airport Consultative Committee, a deputy on London Councils' Leader Committee, a member of London Council's Transport & Environment Committee, a member of London Road Safety Council, and an observer of South East London Combined Heat & Power Co.
• Councillor Calum O'Byrne Mulligan as a member of DG Cities Limited, a member of London Road Safety Council, a member of Sir John Evelyn Charity, and a member of Twinkle Park Trust.
• Councillor Anthony Okereke as a deputy on Eltham Crematorium Joint Committee, a member of LGA General Assembly, a member of Local London Joint Committee, and a member of London Councils' Leader Committee.
• Councillor Nick Williams as a member of DG Cities Limited, and a governor of Charlton Manor Primary, a deputy on London [Pensions] Collective Investment Vehicle, a member of London Youth Games, and a deputy on Overview and Scrutiny Joint Health Committee.