The General Purposes Committee of Haringey Council scheduled a meeting to discuss HR policies, a people report, and minutes from other bodies. The meeting was scheduled to take place on Thursday, 9th October, 2025, at George Meehan House, 294 High Road, N22 8JZ.

HR Policies

The committee was scheduled to consider and approve changes to the Code of Conduct Policy, Conflict of Interest Policy, and the Menopause at Work Policy and Guidance. The report pack stated that these changes were intended to ensure that they are in line with Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) best practice, any legal/statutory requirements, and the council's local requirements.

The report pack stated that Human Resources had consulted with trade unions, staff networks and other stakeholders via a policy collaboration process to ensure the council has fit for purpose and legally compliant policies. It was noted that all policies being presented had been updated to be clearer and more concise, with the aim of making them easier to understand for managers and employees. The policies have been drafted with ACAS best practice, any legal/statutory requirements and the council's local requirements. The report pack stated that the principles section has been updated in line with other council policies and references to practice notes have been removed and relevant content has been incorporated into the policy where appropriate.

Code of Conduct Policy

The Code of Conduct Policy was scheduled to be updated to provide clear and concise guidance for all employees, with additional standards included for those with people management or budgetary responsibilities. The policy was scheduled to include information on working from abroad, which includes eligibility criteria and the process an employee is required to follow in order to request to work oversees. A process for reporting a concern was scheduled to be incorporated, to ensure a structured and fair approach to employees who raise a concern about potential breaches of the code of conduct. Appendix A was scheduled to outline the responsibilities of managers and employees across the different areas of workplace conduct, acting as a guide to ensure clarity, accountability and consistency in behaviour and expectations across the council. Examples of gross misconduct were scheduled to be listed at Appendix B to support the understanding of unacceptable behaviour and potential disciplinary action.

The Code of Conduct Policy states that employees can enjoy many benefits whilst working for the council and in return they are required to carry out their job to the best of their ability, comply with council policies and procedures and behave in a manner that reflects the council's values and behaviours and does not bring the reputation of the council into disrepute. Employee benefits include generous annual leave, interest free season ticket loans, flexible working arrangements and a variety of parental leave provisions. The policy states that failure to comply with this Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action in accordance with the council's Disciplinary Policy. In cases where the breach is deemed sufficiently serious, it may constitute gross misconduct and could lead to summary dismissal, without prior notice. The policy applies to all permanent, fixed term and temporary employees of the council. Whilst it does not apply to any agency workers, contractors or consultants working for the council, a level of professionalism and acceptable conduct is expected, in the event it is necessary, feedback will be given to the agency/organisation they are from.

Conflict of Interest Policy

The Conflict of Interest Policy was scheduled to be updated to add further clarity with regards to agency workers and contractors and the process of declaring a conflict. An additional section was scheduled to be included which outlines the council's process regarding the ongoing monitoring of declarations of interest. Examples of Conflicts of Interests were scheduled to be listed at Appendix A which illustrates examples of actual or potential conflict of interest that may arise within the workplace, to help support managers and employees understand their responsibilities and take appropriate steps to uphold ethical standards within the council.

The Conflict of Interest Policy states that Haringey Council is committed to the highest standards of integrity, transparency and accountability. A conflict of interest, whether actual, potential or perceived can undermine trust, damage the council's reputation and compromise effective decision making. The purpose of this policy is to protect the council and its employees from conflicts of interest and allegations of misconduct. It provides a clear and consistent process for declaring, recording and managing conflicts of interest. Additionally, it ensures compliance with the Seven Principles of Public Life: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership. The policy applies to all employees, agency workers and contractors working within the council. Teachers and employees working in schools have their own local management and policies to follow. Failure to declare or appropriately manage a conflict of interest may result in disciplinary action, which may include dismissal, and potential legal consequences.

Menopause at Work Policy and Guidance

The Menopause at Work Policy and Guidance was scheduled to be updated to expand section 3 of the policy, which covers the law relating to menopause, to reflect recent developments introduced by the Employment Rights Bill 2024¹. Additional guidance was scheduled to be added on making supportive adjustments during the menopause and outlining the different the support options such as the new reasonable adjustments hub. Guidance was scheduled to be added to help support employees who may feel uncomfortable discussing menopause related concerns with their direct line manager.

The Menopause at Work Policy and Guidance states that Haringey Council is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can feel valued, respected and be able to thrive throughout every stage of their working life. The purpose of this policy is to ensure all employees, non-binary, transgender and intersex employees are effectively supported when experiencing significant hormonal changes. The council acknowledges that Menopause can impact an employee's physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and is committed to raising awareness, eliminating stigma and ensuring reasonable adjustments are available to support affected employees. The policy applies to all council employees except for teachers directly employed by the council and all employees appointed by schools operating under local management of schools, which have their own policy. The policy does not apply to agency workers or contractors working in the council.

Other Policy Changes

The committee was also scheduled to approve a change to the organisational change policy, changing the outcome of redundancy appeal from being sent within 3 working days of the hearing, to Outcomes will be provided within 5 working days but in cases where there are unavoidable delays, the Chair will notify the appellant after five days and provide a final decision within ten days . A change to the disciplinary policy was also scheduled to be approved, changing the sign off for suspension risk assessments from the Head of Employee Relations, Business Partners & Reward, to Senior Employee Relations Specialist or above .

The report pack noted that throughout the rest of this municipal year (up to April 2026), the following policies are planned to be submitted to committee for approval, as part of the HR Policies Forward Plan: Job Evaluation Policy, Recruitment Policy, Employment References Policy, Induction Policy, Employee Supported Volunteering Policy, Relocation Policy, and Trans Equality Policy.

People Report

The committee was scheduled to note the People Report for June 2025. The People Report is designed to give officers and members relevant workforce data in an easy to understand format in order to support informed strategic decision making. The People Report combines key workforce data and analysis including headcount, the cost of both the permanent workforce and off payroll arrangements, starters/leavers, sickness absence and Apprentices.

The report pack included the following headlines:

• The headcount within the established workforce increased slightly by 1% during the second quarter, which contributed to a 1.5% uplift in annualised base pay.
• Agency worker headcount decreased by 21.4%, with FTE decreasing by 22.6% and costs reducing by 20.1%. This downward trend reflects the council's strategic drive to reduce dependency on agency staffing, enhance workforce stability and drive cost efficiencies. As a result, the proportion of agency workers within the total workforce decreased from 10.8% to 8.6%. The council will continue to limit agency worker engagement where possible, while recognising their critical role in addressing short-term staffing gaps and responding to short-term service demands.
• During this financial quarter, headcount among off payroll workers (£500+ day rate) decreased by 6.7%, contributing to a 13% reduction in associated costs. The highest utilisation of this workforce group continues to be within Adults, Housing and Health, Children's Services, and Finance and Resources. This aligns with the rising service pressures, particularly in areas such as support for vulnerable adults, temporary accommodation and children's safeguarding, as well as the council's financial circumstances, where specialist external support has been engaged to deliver targeted expertise and maintain service continuity.
• The council's total pay bill for this quarter has reduced by 2.5%.
• While the overall number of leavers increased compared to the previous reporting period, the proportion leaving due to resignation or retirement decreased. Additionally, the number of employees under the age of 40 leaving the council decreased, indicating stronger engagement and retention among younger employees. However, the number of new starters over the past rolling year decreased by 7.1%.
• Sickness rates have improved across the board as follows: average days lost decreased by 6.6%, both long-term and short-term absences declined and sickness-related costs reduced by £362k.
• Apprenticeship levels across the council have remained stable overall. The rise in numbers within the Adults, Housing and Health directorate is primarily linked to the recent restructure, where parts of Placemaking and Housing integrated into its remit.

Minutes of Other Bodies

The committee was scheduled to review the minutes of the Appointments Panel meeting held on 22nd July 2025.