Agenda and minutes

There were none.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interests were declared:

 

Councillor J P Curtice - Minute No. 47 - Staff Engagement Final Report - niece works for the Authority - personal.

 

Councillor F M Gordon - Minute No. 45 - Briefing - Engagement with Students/Community and Minute No. 46 - Presentation - Council Staff Appraisal/Staffing Issues - I am employed by the University of Wales Trinity St. David in respect of Minute No. 45 and my son works for the Authority in respect of Minute No. 46 - personal.

 

Councillor D J Lewis - Minute No. 47 - Staff Engagement Final Report - employed at DVLA - personal.

 

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Engagement and Inclusion Cabinet Advisory Committee held on 4 March 2015.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Engagement and Inclusion Cabinet Advisory Committee held on 4 March 2015 be approved as a correct record subject to the following amendment:

 

Add Councillor J P Curtice to the list of attendees. 

 

The Chair explained that the Armed Forces Councillor Champion had been unable to attend the meeting and would report to a future meeting of the Committee. 

 

The Community Liaison Officer provided the Committee with the background to his role and explained that his post was funded in partnership between Swansea University, University of Wales Trinity St. David Swansea, Gower College Swansea, South Wales Police and the City and County of Swansea.  His role is as a liaison point for students and residents with queries, concerns or complaints and he works to promote all the benefits which a vibrant student population brought to local communities and economies.  He added that he was the primary contact for residents who wished to raise any issues relating to students from Swansea University, University of Wales Trinity St. David Swansea or Gower College who were living in the local community. 

 

He outlined the problems encountered within communities such as rubbish, parking, violence, anti-social behaviour, drugs and alcohol problems.  However, he added that partnership working within the community had resolved many of the issues that had occurred.  He also made reference to a rising number of problems linked to use of social media by students and the implications involved with abuse on social media which included custodial sentences.

 

The new Swansea University Campus at Fabian Way and the University of Wales Trinity St. David Swansea Campus at SA1 were discussed and the proposals outlined for both those sites.  He added that a large amount of the student population in Swansea would be living in the east of the city, particularly in St. Thomas and Port Tennant.

 

The Committee asked a number of questions of the Swansea University Representative who responded accordingly. 

 

RESOLVED that the contents of the discussions be noted.

 

The Head of Human Resources and Principal HR Officer provided the Committee with a presentation on staff appraisals/staffing issues.  The main topics highlighted within the presentation included:

 

·         Appraisals - what is the process?  Recording appraisals and systems to say “thank you to staff”?

·         High priority, non pay recognition and looking at other authorities in order to establish what they do.

·         How do we reward loyalty? 

·         How to reward staff who do not take sick leave, long service awards, staff who go the extra mile/going above the call of duty?

·         Departments setting aside money in order to reward staff.

·         New Ideas Scheme or Staff Suggestion Scheme and how many staff use it and what the process entailed.

·         The need to update the Intranet pages.

·         How the Council engages with Councillors and the need to improve this engagement.

 

The Committee raised a number of questions regarding the information provided which were responded to by the officers.  Discussions centred around the following:

 

·         Human Resources undertaking spot surveys on managers in order to establish if their staff had received annual appraisals;

·         The use of innovation by the Authority and sharing innovative ideas, particularly use of the Purple Room in the Civic Centre;

·         The introduction of balanced score cards for appraisals and the need to have a golden thread linking to the Council’s objectives;

·         The introduction of team appraisal systems, particularly in areas where it was difficult to undertake appraisals for all staff, particularly in front-line services;

·         Training managers in relation to the staff appraisal scheme and the continued need to treat all staff equally;

·         How other organisations e.g. DVLA encourage staff to organise events etc. with work colleagues and organise such matters through work;

·         The need to reward staff for good performance but also to withhold for example increments due to poor performance;

·         The benefits enjoyed by staff who work within Local Government such as flexi time, annual leave, pensions and long service awards;

·         The need for the Authority to improve its marketing/advertising, for example the staff discount scheme and tickets available for the Grand Theatre.  This would also encourage the use of Council facilities;

·         The manner in which the Authority communicates with staff at present e.g. via the Intranet and Jack’s Blog;

·         How the Authority deals with feedback received and communicates the outcomes of issues raised.

 

 

 

RESOLVED that:

 

(1)       the contents of the presentation be noted;

 

(2)       the structure of the Council be circulated to the Committee;

 

(3)       details regarding outcomes and feedback regarding issues raised be provided to the Committee;

 

(4)       the Innovation Newsletter be circulated to all Councillors;

 

(5)       an update report be provided to the Committee during the Autumn.

 

(6)       that Jack’s Blog be emailed to all Councillors

 

The Chair presented the Staff Engagement and Internal Communications Report which sought to improve staff engagement and internal communications with and for all staff of the City and County of Swansea.

 

The report detailed the site visit made by the Committee to the DVLA and highlighted their internal communications and staff engagement.

 

The Chair stated that the improvements to staff engagement and internal communications was ongoing. 

 

 

RESOLVED that:

 

(1)       the contents of the report be noted;

 

(2)       the recommendations contained within the report be forwarded by the Chair to the Cabinet Member for Transformation and    Performance.

 

The Chair presented an updated Engagement and Inclusion Cabinet Advisory Committee Work Programme for 2014/15. 

 

RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted.

 

NOTED that the next meeting be scheduled for 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 29 April 2015.