Agenda and draft minutes

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meeting held on 23rd June, 2014.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting held on 23rd June, 2014 be approved as a correct record.

Adoption Panel:-

Councillors Havenhand and Sharman plus one other Member.

Fostering Panel:-

Councillor Sharman plus one other Member

(Expression of interest from Councillor Lelliott)

Redbarn Management Group:-

Councillor Burton plus one other Member.

Rotherham Children, Young People and Families’ Partnership:-

Councillor Lakin, Deputy Leader, along with Councillor Roche plus one other Member.

(Expressions of interest from Councillors Ahmed and Lelliott)

Think Family Steering Group: -

Councillor Lakin, Deputy Leader, along with Councillor Beaumont plus one other Member.

(Expression of interest from Councillor Ahmed)

Local Admissions Forum: -

Councillors Havenhand and Beaumont plus one other Member.

Transport (Education) Appeals Panel: -

Councillors Gosling, J. Hamilton, Roche, Sharman and Whelbourn plus one other Member.

Further to Minute No. 68 of the meeting of the Deputy Leader held on 23^rd June, 2014, consideration was given to the representatives on outside bodies and sub-groups that fell into the remit of nomination to the Deputy Leader.

Resolved:-  That the following appointments be made:-

Adoption Panel:-

Councillors Havenhand and Sharman.  A further Member would be sought if required.

Fostering Panel:-

Councillor Sharman plus Councillor Lelliott.

Rotherham Children, Young People and Families’ Partnership:-

Councillor Lakin, Deputy Leader, along with Councillors Ahmed, Lelliott and Roche.

Think Family Steering Group:-

Councillor Lakin, Deputy Leader, along with Councillors Ahmed and Beaumont.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Phil Howe, Director of Human Resources, which provided an overview of sickness absence in 2013-14.

In 2013/14 for the first time in five years, the Council’s sickness absence outturn figure was higher than the previous year, with a reported 8.30 days per full time equivalent employee compared to 7.51 days in 2012/13.  This mirrored the trend of increasing absence levels recorded across many similar-sized organisations in the Public Sector.

Sickness absence levels in the Council continued to be measured in accordance with the former Gershon and Best Value Performance Indicator industry standards to ensure relevant and robust comparative data.  Although sickness absence increased last year it should be noted that levels have fallen considerably from 13.9 days in 2002/3.

The reported figure for 2012/13 benefited from there being two ‘extra’ Bank Holidays in the year, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on 5^th June, 2012 and Good Friday on the 29^th March 2013.  Sickness occurring on such days was able to be discounted from the nationally prescribed calculation.

In addition during 2012/13 seventeen schools, where sickness absence was traditionally low, also converted to Academy status during the year (now giving 23 in total), which had the effect of lowering the overall denominator used in the calculation and inflating the overall level of sickness absence in the rest of the Council.

If a comparable calculation had been made to factor in the same number of Bank Holidays and include the Schools which had converted to Academy status during the year, the sickness outturn would have been 7.75 days as opposed to the declared 8.30 days.

Data on sickness absence is directly available to managers via the HR Portal and is also routinely analysed and benchmarked at a strategic level to identify ‘hot’ spots and inform corporate policy decisions.

In 2013/14 there were 10,465 separate recorded incidences of sickness absence.  4476 employees (40%) had no absence recorded during the year.  The direct contractual occupational sickness costs paid to the employee while absent amounted to £6.9m (£3.9 of which was non Schools). 

In common with trends over the last ten years the main reasons for absence were Muscular Skeletal/Back and Shoulder (28%), Stress (27%) and Infection and Virus (19%).  Around two thirds of all absence was deemed Long Term (over 20 days) but only 1.5% (20% of long term) of absence lasted for more than four months.  The types and length of absence were clearly occupation and condition dependent which were also significantly influenced by NHS treatment timescales. 

A summary of year end sickness levels by Strategic Directorate and a summary of all sickness reasons by category was attached for information as part of the report. 

In addition to  real-time employee information via the HR Portal managers are also notified automatically by e-mail the moment one of their employees hit a sickness trigger point in order that appropriate action could be undertaken in accordance with the Council Policy.  During the year out of 10,465  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Consideration of this item was deferred to the agenda of the next meeting to allow relevant Officers to be in attendance.

Resolved:-  That the next meeting of the Deputy Leader and Advisers take place on Tuesday, 7^th October, 2014 at 10.00 a.m.