February 2024
NETTLEHAM PARISH COUNCIL H.R COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD AT THE PARISH OFFICE, NETTLEHAM ON MONDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2024, AT 6.00PM
Present: Councillors: Cllr A. Henderson (Chairman), Cllr J. McGuire, and Cllr A. Simpson
Also in attendance: Lucy Waller (Clerk).
The meeting opened at 6.00pm
1. To RESOLVE to receive apologies and accept reasons for absence received by the Clerk, prior to the meeting.
None received.
2. To RECEIVE disclosure of interests in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 and to consider any requests for dispensations.
None received.
3. To RESOLVE to approve the draft minutes of the last meeting held on the 14 October 2023 as a correct record and the legal minutes of the meeting.
It was RESOLVED to approve the draft minutes of the last meeting held on the 14 October 2023 as a correct record and the legal minutes of the meeting.
4. To RESOLVE whether to exclude the public and press for the following item/s, in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, due to the commercial or sensitive nature of business to be discussed.
It was RESOLVED to exclude the public and press.
5. To NOTE the reports relating to the recent Staff Appraisals and to RESOLVE any actions / recommendations related to issues raised therein.
It was RESOLVED to make the actions and recommendations to Council as detailed in the Confidential Report to Council.
6. To RESOLVE a recommendation to Council of staff SCP for the financial years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025.
It was RESOLVED to recommend the Staff SCP for the financial years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 as detailed in the Confidential Report to Council.
7. To RESOLVE recommendations to Council in relation to the below matters:
a). Office Cleaning
It was RESOLVED to recommend to Council that Office Cleaning be contracted out and that 3 quotes be sought for this.
b). Lone Working Safety
Members having received information regarding a Lone Worker App RESOLVED to defer any decision pending investigation and a report into other available strategies /equipment.
c). Annual Leave
Members noted the report highlighting inequality of contracted annual leave, but in the light of equality being reached following 5 years of service RESOLVED to make no amendments.
d). Home Working Policy
It was RESOLVED to recommend to Council the adoption of the Draft Home Working Policy attached as APPENDIX A to these minutes.
e). Menopause Policy
It was RESOLVED to recommend to Council the adoption of the Draft Menopause Policy attached as APPENDIX B to these minutes.
f). Staff Call Outs to Council Buildings
It was RESOLVED to make the recommendation to Council as detailed in the Confidential Report to Council.
8. To RESOLVE the arrangement and details of the 6 monthly informal meeting between Staff and Councillors.
It was RESOLVED to invite Staff Members, The HR Committee, The Chairman of the Council and The Chairman of the Properties Committee to an informal open meeting and to consider further meetings should stakeholders feel that this would be of use.
The meeting closed at 8.05pm
APPENDIX A
DRAFT Home Working Policy
1. Introduction
Nettleham Parish Council is committed to promoting flexible working to facilitate effective and efficient working. This policy outlines the circumstances under which the Council will allow employees to work from home. It also details the actions required to facilitate a home working arrangement.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all office-based employees of the Council.
3. What is Home Working
3.1. Definition
Home working is about using the employee’s home as a base for work instead of the employee coming into a workplace.
3.2. Benefits of Home Working
There are many benefits to home working.
For the Council these include:
Better use of existing premises and resources.
Contributing towards the reduction of the Council’s CO2 emissions by reducing unnecessary employee commuting.
The retention of valued and skilled employees for whom the ability to work at home is the preferred option.
Well-motivated staff who feel that they work for an organisation that is prepared to be flexible and which trusts them.
Potentially increased output and quality of work due to fewer distractions than working in an office environment.
Accommodation of the requirements of disabled employees or employees with temporary health conditions.
Promotion of a positive image as a good employer.
For the employee these include:
Increased discretion in the management of their work and personal time.
Increased motivation.
A saving of travel time and costs.
The ability to work without distraction.
Improvements in work-life balance issues.
3.4. Suitability of Home Working
3.4.1. Posts
Generally speaking, any job that does not require time spent in one location or high visibility (e.g. to operate machinery or to deliver face to face customer care), may be adapted for homeworking.
Consideration should also be given to the impact on and inter-relationship with other jobs, access by the public, access to/by colleagues, access to required information, technology, costs, and savings etc.
3.4.2. Employee Characteristics
Having established the suitability of the job for home working the suitability of the employee needs to be considered.
Home working does not suit everyone. Office dynamics and informal information flows may have a significant impact on the employee’s performance. Some employees may develop better in a traditional office environment, and those without very much experience in their role are likely to need closer supervision which would not be possible if they were working from home.
Helpful personal qualities are likely to include:
Self-motivated.
Self-disciplined.
Enjoy the challenge of working on their own.
A flexible approach.
Able to organise working time effectively.
Able to work without direct supervision.
Confident to work away from the office environment.
Able to work on their own without day to day social interaction with colleagues.
Able to “switch off‟ from work and maintain a proper balance between working and non-working hours.
4.1. Assessing the Home Environment
An employee who works from home is afforded the same protection under health and safety legislation as an employee who is office based. It is therefore vital to ensure the home working environment is suitable before any home working agreement is reached.
The employee needs to take personal responsibility for the health and safety aspect of home working. An employee needs an environment at home which offers the
following:
Suitable “office” space, ideally a separate room but at least a dedicated space.
Freedom from interruptions and distractions.
Security and confidentiality.
Ability to meet Health and Safety requirements.
In addition to this employees need to be aware that the Council reserves the
right to ask them to attend Council premises at short notice.
Employees must complete a Worker Self-Assessment Checklist (see Appendix 1) and submit this to their Line Manager.
5. Management of Home Working Agreements
5.1. Health and Safety
Home workers are afforded the same health and safety protection in law as office-based staff. As such all Council health and safety policies and procedures will apply to home workers. This includes the requirement for employees to report any work-related accidents and to undertake regular DSE assessments.
5.2. Data Security
Employees who work from home are required to comply with all IT security and confidentiality requirements of the Council.
The home worker will have a direct responsibility for all Council information material held at their home and must ensure that it is not accessible to non-authorised people
(e.g. other members of the household).
5.3. Working Hours
The hours worked will not exceed those in the contract of employment and in any case, those applied through the Working Time Directive.
5.4. Visits to the Home Worker
Due to the health and safety risks, the Council would not expect or advise employees to allow members of the public to visit them whilst working from home.
5.5. Contractual Terms
If the employee is an occasional home worker, there will be no requirement to issue a variation to the substantive contract of employment.
5.6. Review of a Home Working Agreement
Any home working arrangement should be reviewed periodically. This will allow both parties to assess whether the arrangement is still appropriate.
Appendix 1
Health and Safety Home Worker Self-Assessment Checklist
Name
Job title
Department/Section
Address
Hazard Checks to be made Yes/ No/ Comment
Fire
Is the work area tidy?
Are waste materials regularly disposed of?
Are exits routes clear?
Does the employee have an escape plan?
Know what to do in an emergency
Is a smoke alarm fitted? Alarm must be tested and maintained in accordance with manufacturer instructions.
Electrical Equipment
Any apparent damage? Cracked/loose casing on plug sand computer equipment,
missing screws etc.
Any evidence of overheating? Look for discolouration
Any obvious damage to leads or plugs?
Are all the cables secure in all plugs?
Slips, Trips and Falls
Floor covering sound and without defects?
All walkways clear of trip hazards e.g. trailing cables.
When seated at a desk can legs and upper body move together without
twisting?
Working Environment
Is the temperature adequate?
Is the ventilation adequate?
Is there adequate lighting, including any necessary task lighting?
Manual Handling
Doe the employee carry out any manual handling activities?
Attach risk assessment if answer is yes
Display Screen Equipment
Doe the employee use DSE for more than 2 hours a day or more than 1 hour
continuously?
Carry out DSE assessment on an annual basis if yes.
Accidents / First Aid
Is the employee familiar with the accident reporting procedure?
Provide employee with accident reporting form.
Does the employee have adequate first aid facilities whilst working at home?
Signatures:
Employee Date:
Manager Date:
APPENDIX B
Draft Menopause Policy
Introduction
The purpose of this policy is to assist with creating an open and menopause friendly workplace where we ensure that necessary help is known about and offered to those affected. Menopause can have a big impact on life and work for a number of years.
Effects of Menopause
Physical symptoms of menopause can include the following:
- Hot flushes
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Poor concentration
- Headaches,
- Skin irritation
- Urinary problems.
As a result of these symptoms and the hormone imbalance, individuals going through the menopause can also experience psychological difficulties, including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks.
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Problems with memory
- Loss of confidence
It is also recognised that Hormone Replacement Therapy medication, which is often prescribed can have side effects which cause problems including nausea, headaches and leg cramps which can affect the individual in the workplace.
Communication
If an individual is struggling with any aspect of their role because of menopause symptoms, this should be discussed with their manager who will treat the matter in the strictest confidence.
During any discussions management will consider any adjustments that can be put in place to provide support in the workplace. Individual needs will be addressed sensitively and confidentially will be maintained. A follow up meeting will be arranged to see whether any adjustments put in place are effective, or if further adjustment is required.
Making Adjustments
Management will explore making adjustments to the working environment to help with daily activities, with the aim of reducing the effect that the menopause is having at work.
As people are affected differently by the menopause any adjustments will differ for each individual depending on their role, and the symptoms being experienced, which are affecting performance.
Examples of adjustments that could be made include:
- Changing work location to be closer to toilet facilities, away from hot and cold spots around the office, or to provide better access to natural light.
- Implementing further temperature control, such as access to a fan.
- Providing a quiet place to work
- Providing access to sanitary products.
- Considering flexible working or working from home
- Allowing changes to normal rules on work wear.
- Assessing how work is allocated.
- Allowing additional rest breaks
- Changing start and finish times.
Once appropriate adjustments are identified and agreed, they will be reviewed regularly to ensure they are continuing to have the desired effect and providing the support needed.
As menopause is defined as a disability, we are legally obliged by the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustment to an employee’s role or working conditions to accommodate them at work and not place them at a disadvantage. We will ensure that we comply with our obligations in this regard.
You may be entitled to make a Flexible Working Request, details of how to request this can be found in our policies/ your contract.
If you are unwell due to menopausal symptoms
You are not expected to come to work if you are unwell because of menopausal symptom. If you are unwell, you should inform us by following your usual sickness reporting procedure.
Training
We will ensure that managers are trained on the effects of the menopause and how to approach discussions with employees who are experiencing the menopause. Managers will also be trained regarding how adjustments can be made to an individual’s role to support the individual with any difficulties they are experiencing.
Behaviour of others
There is an expectation that all employees will conduct themselves in a helpful and openminded manner towards colleagues experiencing difficulties during the menopause.
We maintain a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment and will treat any complaints seriously. If you feel that you have been m mistreated, please address this through the Grievance Procedure.