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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Offices Angel Street Bridgend CF31 4WB. View directions

Contact: Mrs Julie Ellams  Democratic Services Officer

Items
No. Item

87.

Declarations of Interest

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including whipping declarations)

 

Minutes:

Councillor M Jones declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 – Code of Practice – Ethical Employment in Supply Chains as a member of the GMB Trade Union.

 

Councillor RMI Shaw declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 – Code of Practice – Ethical Employment in Supply Chains as a member of the Unite Trade Union.

 

Councillor JP Blundell declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 – Code of Practice – Ethical Employment in Supply Chains as a member of the GMB and USDAW Trade Union.

 

Councillor R Penhale-Thomas declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 – Code of Practice – Ethical Employment in Supply Chains as a member of the GMB Trade Union.

 

Councillor T Thomas declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 – Code of Practice – Ethical Employment in Supply Chains as a member of the Unite Trade Union.

88.

Approval of Minutes pdf icon PDF 92 KB

To receive for approval the minutes of 25/07/2018 and 26/09/2018

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:           That the minutes of the meetings of the 25 July and 26 September 2018 be approved as a true and accurate record. 

89.

Forward Work Programme Update pdf icon PDF 93 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Officer reported on items to be considered at the next meeting of the Committee on 12 December 2018 and sought confirmation of the information required for the subsequent meeting to be held on 14 January 2019.  She also reported on the list of responses, comments, recommendations and requests for additional information and requests for additional information arising from the previous meeting of the Committee. 

 

The Scrutiny Officer outlined a list of potential Forward Work programme items for formal prioritisation and allocation to each of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committees. 

 

Conclusions    

 

  • The Committee discussed BCBC’s current arrangements for webcasting and asked to receive information regarding provision in other Local Authorities in Wales for comparison.
  • Members requested to add ‘Strategic Review of Health and Safety Responsibilities’ to the Forward Work Programme and agreed to complete a criteria form for its addition.

 

The Committee confirmed the following items for the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme:

 

24 January 2019         SOSC 3          Revised CAT Process

29 January 2019         SOSC 2          Direct Payment Scheme

30 January 2019         SOSC 1          Education Outcomes

26 February 2019       SOSC 3          Empty Properties

28 February 2019       SOSC 1          Review of Fostering Project

90.

Code of Practice - Ethical Employment in Supply Chains pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Invitees:

 

Darren Mepham, Chief Executive;

Rachel Jones, Corporate Procurement Manager;

Kelly Watson, Head of Legal and Regulatory Services;

Cllr Hywel Williams, Deputy Leader.

 

Minutes:

The Committee received an update on the authority’s position in relation to the Code of Practice – Ethical Employment in Supply Chains.

 

The Committee referred to all employees being paid a minimum of £9.00 per hour and from April 2019 and questioned whether the Council would move to being a Living Wage Employer in April 2020.  The Head of Legal and Regulatory Services stated that the pay structure for the Council has been agreed as part of a two year pay award to its employees.  It was unlikely the Council would be in a position to become a Living Wage Employer in advance of a requirement to do so due to budget constraints.  The Committee considered that the Council should aim to be a Living Wage Employer.

 

The Committee questioned why the Council has not signed up to the Code of Practice – Ethical Employment in Supply Chains and suggested that the Council should have a corporate responsibility to adhere to the Code.  The Deputy Leader stated that the Council does adhere to Welsh Government policy on procurement but the Code of Practice referred to, are guidelines only.  He informed the Committee that the Code suggests how the Council adheres to it and the report provides detail of how the Council has put in steps to comply with the Code.  The Committee asked whether officers are aware of the various toolkits in being to sign up to the Code.  The Head of Legal and Regulatory Services stated that officers are aware of the existence of the toolkits in place but reiterated the Code of Practice presents recommendations for implementation and confirmed that there is not a legal requirement to sign up to them.

 

The Committee queried the number of local authorities which had signed up to the Code, the Head of Legal and Regulatory Services confirmed that the take up was relatively low and in practice local authorities adopt elements of the Code voluntarily as is the practice with this Council.  This Council would adopt elements of the Code insofar as resources allow.  The Head of Legal and Regulatory Services stated she would provide the Committee with detail of which local authorities in Wales had signed up to the Code of Practice along with costs accrued in relation to its implementation. 

 

The Committee questioned whether suppliers are encouraged to sign up to the Code through its contracts with suppliers.  The Head of Legal and Regulatory Services informed the Committee that the Council does not compel contractors to adhere to the Code as it has not signed up to the Code itself.

 

The Committee referred to the Council not currently undertaking an assessment in relation to illegal or unethical employment work practices and questioned how does the Council monitor that employees who work for the Council’s suppliers and contractors are being treated fairly.    The Corporate Procurement Manager informed the Committee that suppliers and contractors are required to comply with questions relating to anti-slavery, blacklisting and ethical employment in its SQUID document.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 90.

91.

Urgent Items

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

 

 

 

Minutes:

There were no urgent items. 

 

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