URL: https://rother.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1895

Decision Maker: Human Resources Committee

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: To provide the Human Resources Committee with an update on progress with the People Strategy Action Plan and general Human Resources update.

Content: Members received the report of the Head of Corporate and Strategic Services that provided an update on progress with the People Strategy Action Plan (PSAP) and general Human Resources (HR) update, covering the period April 2024 to March 2025. The PSAP was attached at Appendix A to the report and Members were asked to note that most actions had now been delivered or were in progress.   Appraisals had commenced in March 2025; the mid-year review phase commenced in September and would continue throughout October 2025. Recruitment activity had remained stable during the reporting period, the annual staff turnover rate had increased to 17.8%, compared to 13.6% in the previous year, however, there had been an overall improvement in staffing trends in the current year, with an increase in new starters and a reduction in the number of leavers.   Recruiting to professional posts remained an area of concern and the Council was working collaboratively with partner authorities across East and West Sussex, as well as with South East Employers. Key senior appointments had now been successfully made, resulting in the Senior Leadership Team now being fully in place. The HR team was also now fully resourced, and Belinda Collins had been appointed as the new HR Manager.   The Corporate Induction Programme had been refreshed and a new Welcome Pack gave new starters all essential information in one place. Quarterly induction sessions were also planned, to include presentations from the Senior Management Team and representatives from a range of services.   An Employee Engagement Group (Colleague Engagement Group) had recently been introduced, bringing together staff representatives from each department, to discuss upcoming changes and to share suggestions and ideas. Other employment relations activities included stable relations with Employee and Trade Unions, a Staff Survey resulting in a number of actions having been implemented, including the opening of a new staff canteen area which had been well received, and refurbishment of the Town Hall Villas, which were being redesigned to accommodate staff meetings and collaborative working.   The Apprenticeship Scheme (AS) continued to perform strongly, with two apprentices having completed their programmes this year and secured permanent roles with the Council. There were currently 15 apprentices across a range of services, focusing on higher-level apprenticeships (up to Level 5) to support recruitment and retention to professional posts. Since the scheme’s inception, 22 apprentices had successfully completed their programmes, and further growth was planned for the following year.   Seven students had completed work experience placements across various services and two further placements were scheduled within Environmental Health and Planning. One earlier placement with Environmental Health had subsequently been interviewed and appointed to a permanent role within the Council.   The HR team had recently participated in several job fairs, including the event hosted at the De La Warr Pavilion. These events saw strong attendance and generated significant interest in career opportunities at the Council.   The majority of training had continued to be delivered online and training requests from appraisal reviews had been logged. Together with information from service plans, this would inform a corporate training plan. New legislation required senior Housing Managers to attain a Level 4 or 5 apprenticeship qualification, and work was being carried out with managers to deliver this mandatory training.   A new suite of iHASCO courses had been added and uptake of optional courses continued to increase. Cyber Security training had been prioritised across the workforce and a Carbon Literacy training programme introduced to support the Council’s sustainability goals; the Council had achieved a Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation status in June 2024 and a Silver accreditation in September 2025. The ILM Level 5 Management course had also been launched, as part of the Council’s commitment to developing strong and effective leadership across the organisation.   Each business area managed its own training budget and the overall training budget remained similar to the previous year. The Sussex Training Consortium and iHASCO continued to be the Council’s primary HR training providers, and a significant portion of the budget was allocated to their services. The year ahead would focus on developing staff and supporting them through organisational change.   One minor staff accident was reported during the period, representing a reduction on the previous year and refresher training was being provided as first-aid qualifications expired. Health and Safety processes and policies were being updated to ensure compliance and appropriate staff support. The HR Health and Safety Equipment budget continued to fund Display Screen Equipment assessments and any resultant equipment required. The Council had four trained Mental Health First Aiders and general mental health training for staff had been expanded via iHASCO. Staff could access support through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), with referrals to Occupational Health and counselling services where appropriate.   One new policy to allow flexible retirement had been brought forward and the Council was in the process of updating all HR policies, with a suite of policies to be made available to all staff.   In April 2025, it was agreed that all staff would receive a £1,000 pay award and it had been confirmed that from April 2026 onwards, pay awards would be determined nationally through the NJC (National Joint Council) pay negotiations. Market supplements for roles where there was clear evidence of recruitment difficulties had begun to be implemented and the Gender Pay Gap Report, attached at Appendix B to the report, demonstrated continued improvement compared to previous years. An Employee Monitoring Dashboard was also found at Appendix C to the report, providing further data for Members’ information.   Members were given the opportunity to ask questions and the following points were noted during the discussion:   •     cyber security and data breaches had both been raised as high corporate risks to the Council. Training courses in both were mandatory for all staff and Members and work was being carried out to ensure completion; •     the EAP offered advice and guidance covering a wide range of issues; •     the reviewed Absence Policy and Recruitment and Retention Policy would be amongst the first to be brought to the Committee for approval; •     the AS was open to all ages, was job specific and funded through a levy taken through the salary budget of 3%. A paper could be brought to the Committee at a later date, providing further information on the scheme, such as retention rates; and •     the Council was having to look further afield for suitable candidates for professional posts that were difficult to fill; there was a skills shortage nationally. Consideration was being given to how the AS could also assist in these areas, particularly in the light of successes in the Environmental Health and Planning departments.   The Chair and Chief Executive thanked the HR Manager and her team for an excellent report, which clearly highlighted the key messages of employee relations, initiatives and training and development, with the use of graphics in the Dashboard to illustrate key data. The Chair encouraged all Members of the Council to read the report.   The Local Government Reorganisation process would be challenging, and the Council was looking to develop a Change Programme to include leadership development, skills development and managing change, in order to equip staff to thrive in the new unitary authority. This would be brought to the Committee for approval.   RESOLVED: That the  progress made with the People Strategy Action Plan and general Human Resources update be noted.

Date of Decision: October 22, 2025