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Issue - meetings

Suggested discussion topics

 

 

Meeting: 22/04/2026 - Joint Staff Consultative Committee (Item 32)

32 SUGGESTED DISCUSSION TOPICS pdf icon PDF 339 KB

To consider topics for discussion at a future meeting of the Committee.

Decision:

Members agreed two discussion topics on ‘Implications of the UK Supreme Court Ruling on Single Sex Spaces on the Workplace’ and ‘Menopause and Work’ for the next meeting of the Committee.

Minutes:

Audio recording – 39 minutes 14 seconds

 

The Chair led a discussion on future topics for the Committee to consider. The following Members, UNISON Representatives, and SCF Staff Representatives took part in the discussion:

 

·             Councillor Daniel Allen

·             Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews

·             Councillor Claire Strong

·             Louis Franklin

·             Councillor Bryony May

 

The following points were made as part of the discussion:

 

·             Relationships between the Council and unions should be discussed at a future meeting.

·             UNISON had received a presentation on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and their members had expressed a desire to become more involved in this, which the UNISON Executive Committee was considering.

·             The integration of the Staff Consultation Forum and this Committee with forums and committees in other authorities through LGR should be considered.

·             It was hoped that there would be examples of good practice used by local authorities in the Code of Practice relating to the UK Supreme Court ruling on single sex spaces.

·             Menopause and Work should be a topic for discussion at the next meeting.

 

In response to points raised in the discussion, the HR Services Manager advised that:

 

·             The discussion paper on the Implications of the UK Supreme Court Ruling on Single Sex Spaces on the Workplace could only be discussed at the next meeting if the Code of Practice relating to this had been approved, but there was no timeline for this.

·             Local authorities were awaiting the approval of the Code of Practice before considering any major changes in the workplace.

·             The Code of Practice would impact customers, members of the public and staff, but this Committee would only discuss how staff would be affected.

·             They would expect examples of good practice to be detailed in the Code of Practice, but they could not be sure of its contents until it was published.

 

In response to points raised in the discussion, the Chair advised that they should discuss the functions of the Staff Consultation Forum and this Committee in the context of LGR once they knew which local authorities they would be grouped with in a new unitary authority.

 

Members agreed two discussion topics on ‘Implications of the UK Supreme Court Ruling on Single Sex Spaces on the Workplace’, subject to the release of guidance in suitable time for the agenda, and ‘Menopause and Work’ for the next meeting of the Committee.