Representing Renfrewshire Council Management - Councillors T Begg, J Harte, J McNaughtan, J Paterson and A Steel.

Representing Trade Unions – J Boylan and K Kernachan (UNISON); and J McMenemy and A Cairns (GMB).

G McKinlay, Head of Schools (Children Services); A Bennett, Housing Services Manager (Development & Housing Services); K Anderson, Amenities Services Manager (Environment & Communities); S Fanning, Principal HR Adviser (Health Safety and Absence), R Cree, OD & Workforce Planning Manager and R Devine, Senior Committee Services Officer (all Finance & Resources); and I Beattie, Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Services.

It was proposed and agreed that J McMenemy (GMB) chair the meeting.

DECIDED:     That J McMenemy chair the meeting. 

Councillor Begg entered during consideration of the following item of business.

S McAllister (Manual Workers Spokesperson); and S Hicks and M Ferguson (UNISON).

There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.

There were submitted the Minutes of the meetings of the Joint Consultative Board: Non-Teaching held on 25 October and 13 December 2017.  It was noted that the Minutes had been approved at the meeting of the Council’s Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board held on 31 January 2018.

DECIDED:    That the Minutes be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to developments in relation to health and safety issues.

The report advised that guidance relating to the use of drones had been issued and published on the Council’s intranet. It was also noted that the Corporate Policy on Health and Safety at Work had been approved at the meeting of the Council’s Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board held on 28 March 2018.  

In addition, it was highlighted that the following policies and guidance were currently being revised. -

• First Aid Guidance including the use of defibrillators;
• Guidance on Accident, Incident and Violence and Aggression Reporting;
• Control of Legionella Bacteria in Hot and Cold Water Systems;
• The selection and control of contractors
• Alcohol and substance misuse
• Control of smoking at work
• Violence and aggression

The report also advised that the health and safety section continued to assist services to retain accreditation to BS OHSAS 18001:2007, and indicated that BSI had undertaken an audit in early March 2018 and the resultant report would be reviewed and discussed with the services involved. Future changes in the auditing process nationally would require to be reflected in a new contract with an accreditation organisation.

It was noted that the Healthy Working Lives Gold award programme had been retained and a three-year strategy was in development.  Terms of Reference for the Corporate Health and Safety Committee had been developed and would be submitted for consideration to the next meeting of the Committee.

Work continued in relation to the use of the Accident Incident Reporting Database (AIRD) and General Assessment Database (GRAD).  The report also indicated that the health and safety section continued to work with the risk and insurance section to identify accident causation type which could result in claims against the Council. Following the recent adverse weather the Health and Safety Section had requested details of slips, trips and falls.  An analysis of information obtained from AIRD would be used to identify potential concerns in relation to local gritting plans, encourage learning and initiate preventive measures.  This may reduce the impact of claims to the Council and raise health and safety awareness among employees and managers. A review of health and safety implications for staff and others during severe weather would be undertaken.

The section also continued to work with services to survey the fire arrangements within Renfrewshire. On-site fire warden training for care homes continued to be held.  It was highlighted that the section supported the Town Centres Team and other event organisers to ensure that safe, controlled and enjoyable events were delivered and was currently involved in the planning of the 2018 events programme. Support had been provided to support the Services’ action plan following Health & Safety Executive (HSE) interventions in relation to welfare and asbestos awareness.  Toolbox talks had been undertaken with staff involved and HSE were satisfied with the action taken.

DECIDED:    That the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to the Council’s absence statistics for the period 1 October to 31 December 2017. The report provided information in relation to absence targets and how services and categories of staff had performed against them. An analysis of the reasons for absence for the period was included in the report. Information was also provided on supporting attendance activity levels by service and costs of sick pay and the overall number of days lost for Quarter 3, ending 31 December 2017 and for the equivalent quarters in previous years.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to the number of agency staff employed within the Council as at February 2018, and detailing the capacity and service in which they were engaged.

The report showed no bottom-line change in the number of agency workers across all services from the figure previously reported.  A total of 58 agency workers had been employed during the reporting period.  In response to an enquiry from the trade union representatives arrangements would be made to provide an update report to the next meeting of the Board regarding the use of agency workers to backfill posts where postholders had been seconded to the Business World Enterprise Resource Planning project, detailing the costs involved and the budgets utilised. 

DECIDED:   

(a) That the report be noted; and

(b) That arrangements be made to provide an update report to the next meeting of the Board regarding the use of agency workers to backfill posts where the postholders had been seconded to the Business World Enterprise Resource Planning project, detailing the costs involved and the budgets utilised.

There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to the number of grievances received.

The report provided information on grievances at both the informal and formal stages.  The report indicated that there were a total of 10 grievances as at March 2018, which was a reduction of 1 from the previous report.  While discussing the volume of grievances in relation to the number of employees reference was made to the change in focus previously agreed between management and the trade union representatives which had resulted in a higher number of grievances than previously, being considered on an informal basis.

It was agreed that a meeting be arranged between management and trade union representatives to review the grievance procedure, specifically in respect of those instances where grievances had been considered on an informal basis and had not been dismissed.

DECIDED:    That a meeting be arranged between management and trade union representatives to review the grievance procedure, specifically in respect of those instances where grievances had been considered on an informal basis and had not been dismissed and that otherwise the report be noted.

The UNISON representatives requested that the Council consider rewarding essential cover employees who had attended their place of work and assisted in providing Council services during the recent red and amber adverse weather warnings with an additional payment.

It was noted that an approach had also been made to management by the GMB/Unite trade unions that consideration be given to awarding employees who had attended their place of work and assisted in providing Council services during the recent red and amber adverse weather warnings with an additional day of holiday entitlement 

The Board expressed appreciation for the effort and commitment of all employees during the challenging weather and agreed that reports on the progress of discussions between management and the trade union representatives in relation to options for rewarding the commitment of employees who had attended their place of work and assisted in providing Council services during the recent red and amber adverse weather warnings be submitted to future meetings of the appropriate Board.

DECIDED:   That reports on the progress of discussions between management and the trade union representatives in relation to options for rewarding the commitment of employees who had attended their place of work and assisted in providing Council services during the recent red and amber adverse weather warnings be submitted to future meetings of the appropriate Board.

DECIDED: It was noted that the next meeting of the Joint Consultative Board Non-Teaching was scheduled to be held at 3 pm on Wednesday, 6 June 2018.