Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to this virtual Employment Committee meeting that was being conducted with Members and Officers at various locations, communicating via audio/video and online and advised that there was the opportunity for the public and press to listen and view proceedings.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager gave advice regarding the following:

•           Attendance;

•           Live Streaming;

•           Noise interference;

•           Rules of Debate;

•           Voting.

The Chair, Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb started the meeting proper.

Audio Recording – 1 second

The Chair welcomed everyone to this virtual Employment Committee that it was being conducted with Members and Officers at various locations, communicating via audio/video and online.

He invited the Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager to explain how proceedings would work and confirm that Members and Officers were in attendance

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager gave advice regarding the following:

Attendance

A roll call of Members and Officers was undertaken to ensure that they could hear and be heard.

Live Streaming

The meeting was being streamed live on the Council’s You Tube channel and also recorded. If live streaming failed the meeting would adjourn. If the live stream could not be restored within a reasonable period then the remaining business would be considered at a time and date fixed by the Chair. If the Chair did not fix a date, the remaining business would be considered at the next ordinary meeting.

Please stay in view of the camera at all times.

If for any reason the meeting was not quorate an Officer would notify attendees by interjecting the meeting. The meeting would adjourn immediately. Once the meeting was quorate the meeting would resume.  If connection could not be restored within a reasonable period, then the remaining business would be considered at a time and date fixed by the Chair. If the Chair did not fix a date, the remaining business would be considered at the next ordinary meeting.

Only Members present for the entire debate and consideration of an item were entitled to vote. If technology failed for a Member during the debate and they rejoined the meeting, they would not be able to vote on that item.

Noise interference

Electronic devices should be muted and all present should have the mute button on their tablet or computer activated when not speaking.

Rules of Debate

If a Member wished to speak they should use the raise hand button and unmute their microphone before speaking.

Voting

When requested to vote, voting would be via the Green tick for “Yes”, Red Cross for “No” and Blue Raise Hand for “abstain”, located in the participants section at the bottom of the screen. To enable the votes to be counted, votes should not be cleared until requested to do so.

Details of how Members voted would not be kept or minuted unless a Recorded Vote was requested or an individual requested that their vote be recorded, and it would not be heard or seen on the audio and YouTube recordings of the meeting.

Part 2 Item

There was a Part 2 paper for this meeting.  When the Committee had resolved to move into Part 2 the host would ask the Committee members and relevant officers to join a Break Out Room which would need to be accepted.  Members and Officers would automatically be transferred to the Break Out Room where the Part 2 discussions would be held. There would be a short delay whilst the host administered the Break  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

There were no apologies for absence.

Audio recording – 1 minute 49 seconds

There were no apologies for absence.

Members should notify the Chair of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II business set out in the agenda. They must state the circumstances which they consider justify the business being considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered.

There was no other business notified.

Audio recording – 1 minute 53 seconds

There was no other business notified.

Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chair of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda.  Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote.

(1)       The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council policy this meeting was being audio recorded as well as filmed. The audio recordings would be available to view on Mod.gov and the film recording via the NHDC Youtube channel.

(2)       Members were reminded to make declarations of interest before an item, the detailed reminder about this and speaking rights was set out under Chair’s Announcements on the agenda.

(3)       The Chair advised that he would be taking Item 6 – the Part 2 Item prior to Item 4 the Part 1 Item.

Audio recording – 1 minute 59 seconds

(1)       The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council policy this meeting was being audio recorded as well as filmed. The audio recordings would be available to view on Mod.gov and the film recording via the NHDC Youtube channel.

(2)       Members were reminded to make declarations of interest before an item, the detailed reminder about this and speaking rights was set out under Chair’s Announcements on the agenda.

(3)       The Chair advised that he would be taking Item 6 – the Part 2 Item prior to Item 4 the Part 1 Item.

REPORT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE

To set out the background to the recruitment process for a new Service Director - Customers.

NB: This item was discussed after the Part 2 Item of the same name (Minute 7 refers).

RESOLVED:  That Johanne Dufficy be appointed as Service Director Customers with effect from 1 October 2020.

REASON FOR DECISION: To appoint to the position of Service Director – Customers.

Audio Recording – 19 minutes 5 seconds

NB: This item was discussed after the Part 2 Item of the same name (Minute 7 refers).

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager undertook a roll call to ensure that all Members and Officers could hear and be heard.

The Deputy Chief Executive presented the report entitled Service Director Customers Recruitment and drew attention to the following;

·                That the recruitment was required due to the retirement of the current incumbent on 30 September 2020.

·                That, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, all stages of the recruitment process had been conducted online and this had worked well.

·                Lessons learnt from conducting recruitment in this way would be shared with senior managers.

RESOLVED:  That Johanne Dufficy be appointed as Service Director Customers with effect from 1 October 2020.

REASON FOR DECISION: To appoint to the position of Service Director – Customers.

To consider passing the following resolution:

That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that the following report will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

RESOLVED: That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that the following report will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

Audio recording – 2 minutes 30 seconds

RESOLVED: That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that the following report will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

REPORT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE

To recommend the appointment of a new Service Director Customers.

NB: There is no audio recording of this item

NB: This item was discussed prior to the Part 1 Item of the same name (Minute 5 refers).

RESOLVED: That Johanne Dufficy be appointed as Service Director Customers with effect from 1 October 2020.

REASON FOR DECISION: To appoint to the position of Service Director – Customers.

NB: There is no audio recording of this item

NB: This item was discussed prior to the Part 1 Item of the same name (Minute 5 refers).

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager undertook a roll call to ensure that all Members and Officers could hear and be heard.

The Deputy Chief Executive presented the report entitled Service Director – Customers recruitment.

The following Members took part in the debate:

·                Councillor Judi Billing;

·                Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb;

·                Councillor Keith Hoskins;

·                Councillor David Levett.

The Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Executive provided answers to questions raised by Members

Following discussion it was:

RESOLVED: That Johanne Dufficy be appointed as Service Director Customers with effect from 1 October 2020.

REASON FOR DECISION: To appoint to the position of Service Director – Customers.