Agenda item

(a)       That the extension of the current People Strategy to 2014 pending a comprehensive review be noted and endorsed; and   

(b)       That the progress on the delivery of actions up to 31 August 2013 be noted. 

The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development introduced a report to provide Members with a progress report on the delivery of the People Strategy Action Plan for 2009-12 as at 31 August 2013. 

She explained that the current strategy covered the period 2009-12.  It had been reviewed recently to reflect the Council’s on-going and future priorities for 2013/14 based on the priorities identified in the Workforce workstream under the Flintshire Futures Programme pending a full review of the strategy which would run from 2014.  She detailed the background to the report and highlighted some of the actions and projects that were ongoing.  These included a significant amount of work on modernisation of working practices and the implementation of various aspects of manager and employee self service on the iTrent system.  It was reported that Organisation Design & Change and the Organisation Design Change Programme were both under review pending further scoping work.  The size and scale of the Council’s next phase of change would be fundamental, involving the design and delivery of a major change programme, given the Council’s anticipated budget gap for the next five years.  Structural and Business Unit Reviews and Workforce Reduction/Scaling including management and supervision reduction were being considered as part of the scope for the Change Programme. 

A Special Flintshire County Council meeting was to be held on 29 October 2013 on the issue of Single Status and the Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development reminded Members of the briefings which had been arranged for week commencing 14 October. 

The Agile Working policy together with a revised Flexible Working Policy had been drafted and consultation with key stakeholders had been concluded.  The policies would be submitted to Cabinet and this Committee for consideration before implementation. 

Councillor Arnold Woolley commented on agile working and on the provision of equipment and raised concern about security of voice and data and asked for assurance that this had been considered.  In response, the Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development said that further details would be provided to the Committee in a future report on Agile Working in relation to risk assessments etc.  On the issue of equipment, she said that many officers now had laptops issued by the Council and the concept of ‘Bring Your Own Device’ would undoubtedly be considered as part of the future ICT Strategy.  The Chairman suggested that Councillor Woolley contact the Head of ICT and Customer Services to discuss his concerns which centred around IT security and use of an employee’s own equipment.   

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Management thanked the Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development for her report.  He commented on the significant amount of work that had been undertaken on the Single Status project.  He said that agile working was an essential part of the need to move forward on the way that the Council delivered its services. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the extension of the current People Strategy to 2014 pending a comprehensive review be noted and endorsed; and   

(b)       That the progress on the delivery of actions up to 31 August 2013 be noted.