Agenda item

(To receive a report by Fiona Thompson (Head of Human Resources), which provides an update on the HR Management information and corporate HR projects)

Consideration was given to a report by the Strategic People Management Advisor, which provided an update on the HR Management information and corporate HR projects.

Members were advised that the 2019-20 Quarter 1 figures had calculated a projected increase in spending of around 8.5% for agency staff by the end of the financial year. The recent increases in agency usage were mainly due to a shortage of social workers in both Adult and Children's Services teams. Officers were continuing to monitor this and were working with the relevant Executive Directors on recruitment campaigns. Legal Services continued to have a high agency spend, which was mostly due to the difficulties in appointing Childcare Lawyers.

It was explained that the absence data collected in Quarter 1 had shown 7.15 days lo per Full Time Equivalent (FTE), which was a slight increase on the previous quarter. Data showed an upward trend in this area. There had been a decrease in Mental health reported sickness absences in most areas however Children's Services Directorate had seen an increase. The Council was working with Public Health to introduce mental health first aiders, along with a number of other measures to assist employees suffering with mental health issues.

Members were informed that a review of all employment policies was underway to ensure that they were written in a user friendly way. It was hoped that all updated policies would be rolled out in 2020.

It was noted that an updated employee survey had launched in November 2019, and the results would be used to inform organisational and workforce policies. Officers would report the results of the survey to a future meeting of the Board.

Members were invited to ask questions, in which the following points were noted:

·       In response to a question, officers agreed to outline the main reasons for leaving given at exit interviews at a future meeting of the Board.

·       It was noted that work was being carried out to help increase managers' awareness to help them to identify individuals who may be suffering with mental health issues, to ensure that support systems could be put in place to assist.

·       It was hoped that the introduction of mental health first aiders would help people who were in the initial stages of mental health conditions. The aim was to prevent mental illness getting to a stage where the employees needed to take long term sickness absence. 

·       It was clarified that all Human Resources employees were aware of the Equalities Act in relation to Mental Health.

·       Concerns were raised over the fact that adjustments to workstations to help with muscular-skeletal issues were down to the manager's discretion.

·       Members questioned whether officers were concerned with the age profile of employees, and that there was the potential to lose a lot of experience within some departments. Officers advised that managers were responsible for succession planning within their departments and HR was working to ensure that all managers were considering the issue of loss of knowledge. There were a number of areas already looking at career progression within their teams.

·       It was noted that apprenticeships were available to anybody irrespective of age.

·       The Apprenticeship Board had discussed the use of local providers for apprenticeships, and did use local providers where appropriate. However, it was considered important that the Council used what they considered to be the best providers available.

·       The Council was not currently spending all of the available apprenticeship levy funding, however this was generally the case across most public sector bodies.

·       Officers agreed to report the 'true cost' of the increase in agency staff to a future meeting of the Board, taking into consideration the amount that would be spent on staff employed directly by the Council if agency staff were not being used.

·       It was noted that there was a national shortage of educational psychologists as it was a hard to recruit area. The Council was investigating alternative models and was working with the Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust to build a workforce between a clinical and psychological model which could provide the necessary services for Lincolnshire County Council.

·       Members were advised that there was little flexibility in the level of apprenticeship levy that could be transferred to the Council's providers.

The Board supported the Head of Paid Service in writing to the Government to increase flexibility on the level of apprenticeship levy that the Council can transfer to its providers.

RESOLVED:            

1.    That the Board be reassured on the HR Management information and the         progress on corporate HR projects;

2.    That the Board support the Head of Paid Service in writing to the Government to increase flexibility on the level of apprenticeship levy that the Council can transfer to its providers.