Agenda for General Purposes Committee on Monday, 1st February, 2021, 3.00 pm

General Purposes Committee - Monday, 1st February, 2021 3.00 pm

Venue: Civic Hall, Leeds, LS1 1UR

Contact: Email: harriet.speight@leeds.gov.uk

Link: to View Meeting Recording

Items
No.	Item
10.	Appeals against refusal of inspection of documents To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an appeal the press and public will be excluded). (*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting) Minutes: There were no appeals against the refusal of inspection of documents.
11.	Exempt Information - possible exclusion of the press and public 1 To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report. 2 To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information. 3 If so, to formally pass the following resolution:- RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:- Minutes: There were no resolutions to exclude the public.
12.	Late items To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration (The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes) Minutes: There were no late items.
13.	Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary and Other Interests To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2000 and paragraphs 13-18 of the Members’ Code of Conduct. Also to declare any other significant interests which the Member wishes to declare in the public interest, in accordance with paragraphs 19-20 of the Members’ Code of Conduct. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest.
14.	Apologies for absence To receive any apologies for absence from the meeting. Minutes: There were no apologies.
15.	Minutes of the last meeting PDF 210 KB To receive and approve the minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2020. Minutes: RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on the 21 October 2020 be approved as a correct record.
16.	Approval of the 2021/22 Pay Policy Statement PDF 351 KB To consider the report of the Chief Officer (HR) that seeks Members’ views on the Pay Policy Statement 2021/22 and for the Committee to make recommendations to Full Council to approve the changes before the start of the 2021/22 financial year. Additional documents: LCC Pay Policy Statement 2021_22 v0.07 , item 16. PDF 457 KB Minutes: The Chief Officer Human Resources submitted a report seeking Members’ views on the revised Pay Policy Statement and for the Committee to make recommendations to Full Council to approve the changes before the start of the 2021/22 financial year. The following were in attendance: - Emma Wyatt, Head of Human Resources - Jessica Dolphin, Human Resources Service Manager In response to a query, it was confirmed that the reference to median pay at 7.87:1 at paragraph 3.2 of the report was incorrect and should read 7.59:1, as set out in Appendix B. Officers advised that this would be amended ahead of submission to Full Council. Members noted disappointment that the report evidenced a broadening gender pay gap to previous years. Members were advised the 2.6% increase in the median can be attributed to the increase of women in the lower middle and top quartiles, but the representation of males in the bottom quartile, and upper middle quartile has also increased at the same time. Therefore, Members were advised that this reflects a positive trend, as there are more women represented in the higher paid quartiles than previously. However, this increase impacts the median figure as it represents the middle salary, and so the increase in men in the bottom quartile has pushed a lower salary group to the middle, which has a higher representation of women. RESOLVED – That the following be recommended to Full Council: a) Consideration and approval of the Pay Policy Statement for the 2021/22 financial year as attached at Appendix A; b) That any in year requirement to amend the Annual Pay Policy Statement as a consequence of changes to Council Policies is reported to the General Purposes Committee to consider recommending to Full Council for approval; c) Delegation to the Chief Officer (HR) of any necessary adjustments to the Council’s pay scales arising from nationally agreed pay awards. Councillors Dan Cohen and Amanda Carter wished for it to be noted that they abstained from voting on the decisions as referred to in this minute.
17.	Date and time of next meeting The next meeting will take place 8^th March 2021 at 11.00 a.m. Minutes: The next meeting will take place 8th March 2021 at 11.00 a.m.