The Richmond and Wandsworth Joint Staffing Committee met on Monday 25 June 2018 to discuss staff sickness absence, staffing establishment changes, and the performance of the Chief Executive. The committee approved proposed staffing establishment variations and noted staff sickness absence levels, while also receiving the Chief Executive's self-assessment of his performance targets for 2017/18.

Staff Sickness Absence in 2017/18

The committee reviewed a report on staff sickness absence within the Shared Staffing Arrangement (SSA) for the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018. The overall sickness absence rate was 5.81 days per full-time equivalent (FTE), which was noted as performing well compared to other parts of the public sector, though the report cautioned against complacency. The most common reasons for sickness absence were muscular-skeletal issues and stress-related illnesses. The committee noted ongoing management actions to minimise absences and the proposed targets for 2018/19, which aimed to maintain the current level of 6.0 FTE days lost per directorate. Councillor Simon Hogg asked for his abstention to be recorded on this decision. The estimated cost of sickness during 2017/18 for the SSA was £3.4 million.

Staffing Establishment Changes

The committee considered a report detailing proposed net increases to the staffing establishment since the previous meeting. Members requested that future reports include the total number of staff in each directorate to provide better context for these changes. The committee resolved to approve the proposed establishment variations as outlined in Appendix 1 of the report. These changes included the creation of new posts in Adult Services, Children's Services, Chief Executive's office, Environment and Community Services, Housing and Regeneration, and Resources directorates, with funding primarily coming from existing budgets or specific grants. Some changes involved the transfer of posts between directorates.

Chief Executive's Performance Targets 2017/18

The committee reviewed the self-assessment report from the Chief Executive, Mr Paul Martin, on his performance against his targets for 2017/18. The Chairman described the report as an honest and proportionate reflection of what had gone well and less well during the year. Discussions covered the target-setting process, the measurability of targets, and their relevance to corporate priorities. The committee resolved to note the Chief Executive's performance account and requested the Assistant Director of Resources (Corporate Services) to review how other London Authorities evaluate the performance of their Chief Executives. Mr Martin's report detailed achievements against targets in areas such as financial control, public service productivity, emergency planning preparedness, equality and diversity, leadership of the workforce, children's services, election preparation, performance and quality improvements, customer service, planning and housing, and council profile and reputation.

Appointment of Assistant Director of Children's Services

The Joint Committee received a report from the Joint Appointments Sub-Committee confirming the appointment of Ms Kate Bond MA, BA (Hons) as the Assistant Director of Children's Services (Education, Performance and Planning). Ms Bond, previously Head of Standards and Inclusion at Lewisham Council, accepted the offer at a starting salary of £115,000 and was due to commence her role on 18 June 2018. The committee received this report for information.

End of Year Appraisals and Performance Related Pay

The committee considered proposals for end-of-year appraisals and performance-related pay awards for chief officers. Following a discussion where the Head of Human Resources elaborated on the procedures and answered questions, the proposed assessment ratings for all Chief Officers were approved. The committee also agreed to a performance-related payment for the Chief Executive, Mr Paul Martin, based on their review of his performance against his targets. The Chief Executive's proposed targets for 2018/19 were scheduled to be considered at the next meeting. The press and public were excluded from this part of the meeting due to the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to individuals.