PEASEDOWN ST JOHN PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of a Personnel Committee meeting held on Monday 16th May 2005 at 7 p.m. in the Cricket Clubhouse.
Present: Cllr. Mrs. E V Latchem (Chairman)
Cllrs. R W G Butt and J P Rich.
Also present: Cllrs. Mrs. R M Rich and C Rich.
An apology was received from Cllr. Mrs. F M Butt.
The minutes, which had been previously circulated were taken as read, agreed a true record and signed by the Chairman. There were no matters arising.
Drafts of both contracts had been circulated to members and the officers concerned. A query was raised over paragraph 3 of the Assistant Clerk's Contract, which covered "previous service". Mrs. Hartley worked for B&NES for nearly four years and the Clerk had ascertained from the Human Resources Department of B&NES and the SLCC that the four years did count as previous service in this employment. It would count if this Council had a pension scheme and gives her four years seniority when working out her holiday entitlement.
The Clerk's gratuity was mentioned and the question was asked if funds were still protected for the eventual award. The Clerk admitted that, due to changed Inland Revenue regulations, his final salary was not now used and the award was based on the Lower Earnings Limit in force at the time of maturity. The final award would be small.
It was agreed that the Chairman of Council and the two officers are invited to sign the contracts next week at the Council meeting.
It was agreed that Mrs. Hartley should apply for membership and that the Council is recommended to pay the subs of £64 per annum. The Clerk pointed out that the SLCC provided quite a bit of free training.
Mrs. Hartley gave a glowing report on the training received at Nailsea last Saturday and found the experience very useful for backing up the work she had done recently with the Clerk on the end of year accounts.
The Clerk, however, said that her 5¼ hours spent at Nailsea would mean that she would not be able to attend the office for nearly two weeks. He suggested that, as she worked so few hours, she had no way of taking hours in lieu. Members agreed that, when on training, Mrs. Hartley should be paid extra hours so that her attendance in the parish office was not affected. The Clerk advised the Committee that there was a little spare funding in the personnel and training budgets.
The Somerset Association of Local Councils (following an arrangement with ALCA) is arranging two further free training sessions for new Clerks at Marksbury Village Hall in early July. Mrs. Hartley would try to arrange her attendance, although being on Monday mornings may be difficult. Clerk to book places ASAP.
As this committee is to be dissolved next week, members congratulated the Chairman Mrs. Latchem on her work for this committee through the very much-increased workload now generated by central government.
Meeting closed at 7.40 p.m.