Employees Joint Consultative Committee
Perth and Kinross Council · 18 September 2024
Back to Finance and Resources Committee — 18 September 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Perth and Kinross Council EMPLOYEES JOINT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE PART 1: CONSTITUTION AND FUNCTIONS 1. Title The Committee will be called “Perth & Kinross Council Employees Joint Consultative Committee for Local Government Employees”, subsequently referred to as the “JCC”. 2. Representation (a) The JCC will comprise: Perth and Kinross Council (i) Four members of the Council who will be appointed by the Finance & Resources Committee. (ii) Director (Economy, Place and Learning), Director (Strategy People and Resources) Chief Officer, Health and Social Care Partnership; Strategic Lead – Property Services. Other officers or their representatives may be requested by the Chairperson to attend any meeting where there are particular issues on the agenda about which they have specialist knowledge. Trade Unions Representatives of those trade unions recognised by the National Council on the following basis: (i) 12 Members of trade unions (3 of these will be members of teaching trade unions) UNISON – Unite the Union - GMB – EIS – SSTA - NASUWT (ii) Members of teachers trade unions are present for Health and Safety issues only (iii) Two non-union representatives shall be appointed to the Committee for Health and Safety issues only Provision will be made for any other union to be represented when a subject concerning their members is to be discussed. Report No. 24/264
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(b) If a member of the JCC ceases to be a member or officer of the Council or of the trade union which he/she represents, then their membership of the JCC will cease. (c) If a member or lead officer is unable to attend a meeting, a substitute will attend in their place. (d) Any such vacancy which arises on the JCC, for whatever reason, will be filled by a member or officer of the Council or trade union as appropriate. (e) The Joint Secretaries of the Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff may also be invited to attend, or be represented, in the capacity of observers. 3. Chairperson A Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson must be appointed by the JCC at its first meeting every two years. An officer of the Council cannot be appointed as Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson. The Chairperson appointed should be a Trade Union representative and the Vice-Chairperson should be a member of the Council. 4. Officers (a) The JCC will appoint Joint Secretaries, one to be nominated from each side, and any other officers as required. (b) The Corporate Human Resources Manager and Health and Safety Team Leader (both Strategy, People and Resources) will act as Advisers to the JCC. 5. Functions The functions of the JCC will be to: (a) Establish regular consultation and negotiation between the Council and its employees, to prevent differences and to address these if and when they arise. Issues of individual discipline, grievance, grading, promotion and terms and conditions will not be included within the scope of the JCC. (b) Consider any relevant matter referred to it by the Finance and Resources Committee or by the unions. In this respect, each party will have the right to invite any officer or member of the Scottish Joint Council or any person(s) to attend a JCC meeting but only to act in an advisory capacity.
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(c) Consider and make recommendations to the Finance and Resources Committee where appropriate concerning any issues of common interest. Such areas to include: welfare of staff; local conditions of service; education and training, health and safety, wellbeing, corporate property compliance and housing compliance. The above being subject to the provision that matters relating to individual employees are neither discussed nor referred to the other Committees. (d) Health and safety quarterly reports will include an overview of any external health and safety reports on incidents dealt with at service level. (e) Consider and make proposals regarding the best methods to be employed in improving the organisation and cost-effective delivery of Council Services. (f) The review of accident and ill health incidents, statistics and trends so reports can be made to management. The consideration of reports provided by the Strategic Lead – Strategy, People and Resources and the Council’s Health and Safety Advisor. (g) The examination of performance review reports where issues cannot be resolved at the Service Health and Safety Committees. (h) To review the Council Occupational Health and Safety policy, topic specific Management Arrangements and Guidance while raising awareness of health and safety communications, promotion and employee participation, through participating in joint employee- employer health, safety and wellbeing initiatives. (i) Refer any matters which the JCC considers to be more than of local importance to the Scottish Joint Council and inform the Scottish Joint Council of any recommendations in this respect. PART 2: RULES AND REGULATIONS 1. Meetings The Committee shall meet quarterly. A timetable of meetings will be published annually for the forthcoming year. A meeting may be cancelled if there is no business to transact. Additional meetings of the JCC may be called by the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson at any time. Any member unable to attend a meeting may send a substitute to attend.
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2. Quorum The quorum of the JCC will be four provided that the members of the Council and the trade unions are represented. 3. Agenda The agenda or issues to be discussed at any meeting of the JCC must be itemised and stated within the notice of calling the meeting. Democratic Services must receive items for inclusion on the agenda at least 10 days before the meeting. An agenda and papers will be issued to all members at least 7 days prior to the meeting. Items received by the given deadline or considered a matter of urgency will be included on the agenda at the discretion of the Chairperson in conjunction with the Vice-Chairperson, with reference to the function and objectives of the Committee. 4. Minutes The minutes of the JCC will be agreed between the lead officers and will be circulated to all members of the JCC for approval with the papers for the next meeting. Thereafter the minutes will be circulated to the next available meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee. 5. Facilities and Services Democratic Services will provide administrative support to the JCC. The Council will afford the necessary facilities for the representatives of the trade unions to attend meetings of the JCC. 6. Other Matters For the purpose of determining order of debate and other questions not provided for within this Constitution, the Standing Orders of the Council will apply, with necessary modifications at all JCC meetings. This Constitution may be varied or modified by agreement between the relevant parties. The JCC shall have no executive powers and shall act as a consultative and advisory body only. The Council shall not be bound to approve or act upon JCC recommendations. The JCC shall not make recommendations which conflict with the policy or recommendations of the appropriate Scottish Joint Council.