Agenda and minutes

Members are asked to declare any interests in the items under consideration and in doing so state:

(1) the type of interest concerned; and

(2) the nature of the interest concerned

If any member requires advice on declarations of interests, they are advised to contact the Head of Democratic Governance in advance of the meeting.

None.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 9 July 2019 as a true and correct record.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2019 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Resolved: That under Section 100 (A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the whole item, including the decisions referred to at Agenda item 4 on the grounds that it would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To consider and determine a request for a review of the decision of the Council not to uphold a Grievance submitted by an employee.

(This item contains personal information regarding the appellant which is exempt from publication by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972).

The Committee considered a request to review the decision of the Council not to uphold a Grievance submitted by an employee.

The appellant, accompanied by a Trade Union representative, were in attendance at the meeting.

Mrs Roberts (Employee Relations Manager) and Mrs Goodall (Head of Corporate Legal) were in attendance to advise the Committee on policy and procedure only and had taken no part in the original decision.

The relevant Head of Service and Employee Relations Adviser presented the case on behalf of the Authority.

The Committee carefully considered all the representation and documentation put forward by both parties and acknowledged the appellant’s traumatic personal circumstances.

However, the Committee was of the opinion that there was sufficient rationale for the level of intervention/ supervision during the interim management arrangements and believed that this did not suggest that the appellant had been treated unfairly or that there had been a disparity in treatment compared to that of their colleagues.

The Committee believed that the management arrangements put in place were intended to be both sympathetic and supportive of the appellant’s needs by the way of a discretional extended leave of absence and a phased return to work.

In view of the two areas agreed above the Committee acknowledged the appellants dissatisfaction with the situation.  However, the Committee were not able, upon the verbal or written evidence, to acknowledge that the alleged treatment of the appellant was discriminatory, unfair or bore a disparity to that of the appellant’s colleagues.

Resolved:  

To dismiss the appeal and uphold the officer’s decisions taken at Stage 2 of the Council’s Employee Complaints (Grievance) Procedure on the grounds that the Authority’s procedures had been followed and the decisions taken had been fair and reasonable.

Background papers:  Exempt

To note the date of the next meeting as 16 September 2019.

Resolved: To note the date of the next meeting as 16 September 2019.