Staffing Committee Terms of Reference
Old Bolingbroke with Hareby Parish Council
Terms of Reference for the Staffing Committee
Adopted 10.22
Last Review 16.05.24
Next Review 05.25
Definitions In this document the following terms have the meanings assigned to them below:
Alternate Member: A person elected to serve as an alternate if an elected member cannot serve on the Staffing Committee
Chairman: The Chairman of the Committee
Committee: The Staffing Committee of the Council
Committee Member: Any person participating in the Panel’s work under the arrangements set out in the Section headed ‘Membership and Quorum’
Council: Old Bolingbroke with Hareby Parish Council
Member: An elected or co-opted member of the Old Bolingbroke with Hareby Parish Council
1. General
1.1 These Terms of Reference define the Council’s specific responsibilities delegated to the Staffing Committee and were first approved by Old Bolingbroke with Hareby Parish Council at its Meeting held on 6th October 2022.
1.2 Specific delegated responsibility decisions of the Committee shall be binding on the Council.
1.3 The Committee has no power to authorise expenditure on behalf of the Council except where third party specialists are required whereby the maximum sum of £500.00 may be incurred in any one incident without reference to the full Council.
1.4 These Terms of Reference are in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders.
2. Duties & Scope of Delegated Responsibilities
The Committee shall undertake the following duties on behalf of the Council:
2.1 Performance Management
• To monitor and performance manage the Clerk’s work
• At least annually to conduct a staff appraisal/annual review with the Clerk. The appraisal is to be undertaken by two member of the committee.
• Following the interview to submit a confidential report to the Council. The report should include, where appropriate, any changes in the Clerk’s responsibilities and recommendations as to the grading of the post and salary progression (the list of contents is not intended to be exhaustive).
2.2 Dispute Resolution Proceedings
· To oversee ‘informal’ dispute resolution arrangements and the appointment of a trained mediator if required for mediation, conciliation or arbitration.
· To appoint a Hearing Panel upon any formal grievance issue raised by staff under this Council’s Grievance Procedure.
· To appoint a Hearing Panel upon appropriate disciplinary cases as set out the Council’s Disciplinary Procedure, making recommendation to Council if sanctions are to be imposed.
· To convene Appeals Hearing Panels where required
2.3. Appointment of new staff
To oversee recruitment and selection of new employees on behalf of the council (with the Clerk where appropriate) including job description, person specification, advertising, shortlisting, interviewing, reference checking, making recommendation to full Council and defining the induction process.
2.4 Other Duties and Responsibilities
• To establish a programme of training for Councillors and employees such as will encourage professional advancement and make recommendations for expenditure to support these goals.
• To review staffing structures in the council and pay-scales annually
• To draft, review and monitor employment policies and procedures.
• To recommend the payment of overtime, additional hours and employment related expenses in relation to the employees, as may be deemed necessary.
• To monitor absences and approve holiday and other leave requests for the Clerk.
• To keep under review the working conditions and health and safety of the council’s staff
• To oversee the termination arrangements for the Council’s staff
3. Powers
3.1 Subject to the power, set out in paragraph 2 immediately below, the Committee shall have no other powers.
3.2 The Chairman, subject to the agreement of the Committee’s Members, shall have the power to invite an appropriate expert in human relations to attend Dispute Resolution meetings to advise the Committee. Such Invited Participants shall have the freedom to participate in the enquiry but not to vote.
4. Membership and Quorum
4.1 The Committee shall consist of 3 Members and an Alternate Member, all of whom shall be elected from Members of the Council. The Committee shall appoint one of the members to be the Committee’s chairman.
4.2 The quorum shall consist of 3 Committee Members. For the avoidance of misunderstanding the Alternate Member only attends a meeting if an elected Committee Member is unable to participate.
4.3 In the event that one or more of the Committee Members is unable to serve the following arrangements shall be adopted:
• The first Committee Member unable to serve shall be replaced by the Alternate Member.
• If any further Committee Members or the Alternate Member are unable to serve they shall be replaced by suitable councillors appointed by the Council.
• If one of the Committee Members unable to serve is the Chairman, then the revised Committee when fully formed shall at the relevant meeting elect its own Chairman.
• Any person serving as a Committee Member under the arrangements in this clause shall have the same powers they would have possessed had they been elected by the Council.
5. Meetings
5.1 Ordinary Meetings: The committee shall meet at least once a year and schedule additional meetings as workload requires. The meeting shall be summoned by the Chairman or by such person appointed to the task.
5.2 Calling Meetings: The Chairman shall be responsible for calling all meetings. The Chairman may make alternative arrangements to undertake this task or to assist him/her in undertaking the work but must ensure that a conflict of interest is not thereby created.
5.3 Admission of the Public and Press:
5.3.1The initial position should always be in favour of disclosure of as much information as possible about the decisions the council takes, and only in limited circumstances should information be withheld, where there is a justification, in law, for doing so. The Public and Press will be admitted to all meetings of the Committee in line with the Council’s Standing Orders.
5.3.2 If required, the Committee will have the right to pass a resolution to exclude the press and public in accordance with s1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 considering the specific permissible reasons detailed in Local Government Act 1972 Schedule 12A (as amended).
5.3.3 Given the likely confidential nature of the discussions, it is likely that parts of these meetings will be in closed session, excluding not only the public but also on occasion, the staff.
5.3.4 Where the press and public are likely to be excluded from the meeting this will be advertised on the Committee’s agenda.
5.4 Minutes:
5.4.1 The Chairman shall be responsible for ensuring that proper minutes are kept of all Committee meetings and that where necessary appropriate reports are generated and circulated.
5.4.2 The Chairman may make alternative arrangements to undertake this task or to assist him/her in undertaking the work but must ensure that a conflict of interest is not thereby created.
5.4.3 The minutes of the meetings will be approved at the next Full Council meeting the draft minutes will be presented at the Full Council meeting. The draft minutes will be published on the Council’s website as soon as possible after the meeting.
5.5 Meeting Duration:
The duration of the Personnel Committee’s meeting will be for a maximum of 2 hours unless a resolution is passed to extend the meeting for a further 30 minutes after which any unfinished business being taken at the beginning of the next Personnel Committee Meeting.
6. Alterations to these Terms of Reference
6.1 The Committee has no powers to alter or temporarily suspend these Terms of Reference.
6.2 The Council may change these Terms of Reference using the procedure set out in the Council’s Standing Order number 4.