The General Purposes Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Thursday 15 December 2022, discussing the upcoming review of polling places and districts, updates to the council's constitution, and the appointment of local authority governors. Decisions were made regarding the polling station review and the constitution update.

Polling Station, Polling Places, and Districts Review

The committee formally agreed to the recommendations in the report concerning the review of polling stations, polling places, and districts. Robert Curtis, Head of Electoral Services, presented the report, which was prompted by comments from Councillor Maium Talukdar following the May 2022 elections. The review is a statutory requirement, with the next formal review needing to commence on 1 October 2023 and conclude within 16 months.

Officers recommended giving stakeholders, including political parties, agents, and council members, advance notice of the formal consultation period starting on 1 October 2023. This aims to ensure a smoother consultation process. Councillor James King inquired about the possibility of completing the review before the May 2024 GLA elections, but Mr. Curtis confirmed that the statutory timetable, set by legislation, cannot be moved forward. He did suggest that the consultation period itself could potentially be shortened from the usual 16 months to between three and eight months, depending on agreement.

Councillor Musthak Ahmed raised a question about whether the General Purposes Committee or full council has the authority to decide on the timeframe for the review. Mr. Curtis stated he would check the council's constitution with Matthew Mannion, Head of Democratic Services, to confirm this delegation. Councillor Maium Talukdar expressed agreement with the report and the approach to conduct the review in one go.

A separate discussion arose regarding a report on recounts and reviews, specifically concerning the Shadwell Ward. Robert Curtis explained that this was not a formal recount but a check of ballot papers on grass skirts following a request from the Liberal Democrats agent due to concerns about how the papers were affixed. This check confirmed the accuracy of the results.

Constitution Update

Matthew Mannion, Head of Democratic Services, presented an update on the council's constitution. The main item was the formal reinstatement of the Employee Appeals Subcommittee, with updated procedures and terms of reference that are largely similar to those previously in place. The committee agreed to delegate authority to Mr. Mannion to make minor tweaks to the procedures, including ensuring training for the subcommittee is conducted in unison.

Discussions also covered the appointment of members to subcommittees, with Councillor Musthak Ahmed and Councillor Maisha Begum raising points about political proportionality and representation. Mr. Mannion explained that the current approach allows for flexibility, but the committee could opt for a more restrictive approach if desired. Councillor James King raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest if executive members were to sit on appeal panels related to their service areas. While acknowledging that declarations of interest would be made, he suggested an advisory statement to guide against such situations for reputational risk management. Councillor Maium Talukdar disagreed with Councillor King's suggestion, stating that cabinet members are not excluded and decisions are made by the committee.

An amendment to the terms of reference was made to remove references to special severance payment regulations, as these are now governed by separate regulations requiring reporting to full council. Councillor Musthak Ahmed also sought clarification on changes to the definition of co-opted member, which Mr. Mannion explained was to tighten the definition and align it with member allowance schemes and the code of conduct.

Local Authority Governor Applications

Farhad Ahmed, Head of School Governance and Information, presented a report on local authority governor applications. The committee was asked to approve the reappointment of Ian Cameron at South Quay College and the new appointment of Dr. Michelle De Haan at St. Edmunds. Councillor Abu Talha Chowdhury inquired about the reappointment to South Quay College, given its potential closure. Mr. Ahmed confirmed the college is still open and requires an LA governor.

Councillor Maium Talukdar asked about the recruitment process for local authority governors. Mr. Ahmed explained that schools can either come to the local authority for nominations from its pool of applicants or advertise the roles themselves through platforms like Governors for Schools. The primary criterion for appointment is filling a skills gap on the governing board.

Councillor Asma Begum and Councillor Musthak Ahmed raised questions about equalities monitoring. Mr. Ahmed stated that while there is no statutory requirement for governors to provide equalities information, it is requested on applications, and the council is working to gather baseline data. He also noted that the percentage of BAME LA governors has increased to 23% in recent years, partly due to outreach at community events. Councillor Maium Talukdar shared a personal experience of being blocked from a governor role by previous politicians, suggesting that internal politics can sometimes influence appointments.

Farhad Ahmed agreed to provide a more detailed report at the next meeting, including statistics on governor recruitment, attendance at training sessions, and how the council measures success in governor appointments.

Employee Relations, Case Work, and Policy Quarterly Review Report

Musrat Zaman, Director of Workforce, ODE and Business Support, presented an update on employee relations casework for July to September. The report detailed 43 cases, with grievances being the most common type, followed by disciplinary and attendance management issues. Pat Chen, Head of HR, explained that grievances often relate to harassment, discrimination, or bullying, and that the council is working to resolve issues at earlier stages through mediation.

Councillor James King and Councillor Musthak Ahmed requested more detailed information on the types of grievances, with Councillor Ahmed specifically asking for breakdowns related to pay, workload, discrimination, and CHADs (combating harassment and victimization). Councillor Ahmed also shared past negative experiences as an employee, questioning whether HR's role has shifted from supporting employees to solely following management decisions.

Musrat Zaman and Pat Chen assured members that the grievance policy follows ACAS good practice, which focuses on repairing relationships. They explained that while detailed breakdowns are difficult due to confidentiality and small numbers in certain areas, they would consider providing more anonymised data in future reports. They also clarified that the council's internal grievance process is separate from the ACAS early conciliation process for employment tribunal claims.

Update on Senior Recruitment

Musrat Zaman also provided an update on senior recruitment. The Director of Education, Steve Nakatawa, has resigned, and a recruitment campaign is underway. Interim arrangements are in place for the Director of Integrated Growth and Development. Caroline Holland will start as the new Section 151 officer on 9 January, and Katie Driscoll will take on interim arrangements for the Director of Adult Social Services role. This report was noted by the committee.