Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 24 June 2019 be confirmed.

Please note that, in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct, when declaring interests members must disclose the existence and nature of the interest, and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) or personal and/or pecuniary.

No declarations of interest were received.

This item was deferred.

To update the Executive on the revised Code of Practice issued to support the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and report the number of authorisations since the last report to Executive in 2018.

Decision

That the report be noted.

None.

In August 2018 the following revised Codes were implemented:

·         Covert Surveillance and Property Interference;

·         Covert Human Intelligence Sources.

These Codes did not change the legislation nor affect the content or implementation of the Council’s Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act Policy, but provided more guidance on the term ‘private information’ and provided examples about how to apply the Codes and the legislation. A briefing note had been issued to the Council’s service managers, particularly with regard to the use of social media as a result of these revised Codes.

There had been no authorisations applied for nor obtained through the Magistrate’s Court since the last report to the Executive.

To present the Council’s revised Health, Safety and Welfare Policy to the Executive.

Decision

That the Health, Safety and Welfare Policy June 2019 be approved.

None.

The Council’s Health, Safety and Welfare Policy had been reviewed and consulted upon and, subject to approval at this meeting, would supersede the existing policy approved in 2016.

The document was one of the essential building blocks in contributing to an effective and successful health and safety management system, comprising four sections setting out responsibilities for health and safety across the organisation and arrangements in place to manage health and safety. The four sections were noted as follows:

·         Section One – General Policy Statement. There were no proposed revisions to this part of the policy;

·         Section Two – Organisation for Health and Safety. The health, safety and welfare of volunteers and partnerships working with the Council had been included and defined within the policy;

·         Section Three – Arrangements for Health and Safety. The revision had material changes to sections on:

-       Supplementary Polices, namely the inclusion of the Council’s Asbestos Policy and Fire Policy Statement, together with a Construction Design and Management Statement. Also included were policies regarding managing stress, flexible working, a driving policy which replaced use of fleet vehicles and use of own vehicles, health surveillance policies and General Data Protection Regulations.

-       Risk Assessment, which now included working at height, control of hand arm vibration and control of noise;

-       A minor word change associated with the incident reporting section.

·         Section Four – Monitoring and Review of the Health and Safety Policy. The only proposed change was that the policy be reviewed every four years.

A copy of the final draft of the Health, Safety and Welfare Policy, incorporating the above proposed amendments, was appended to the report. Also appended to the report was an extract of the minutes from the meeting of the City of Lincoln Council and Employee Joint Consultative (Health, Safety and Welfare) Committee held on 2 July 2019 which recommended approval of the proposed changes.

You are asked to resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items because it is likely that if members of the press or public were present, there would be disclosure to them of 'exempt information'.

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, notice is hereby given of items which will be considered in private, for which either 28 days' notice has been given or approval has been granted by the appropriate person specified in the Regulations. For further details please visit our website at http://www.lincoln.gov.uk or contact Democratic Services at City Hall, Beaumont Fee, Lincoln.

This item is being considered in private as it is likely to disclose exempt information, as defined in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. No representations have been received in relation to the proposal to consider this item in private.

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business because it was likely that if members of the public were present there would be a disclosure to them of ‘exempt information’ as defined by Section 100I and Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

This item was considered in private as it was likely to disclose exempt information, as defined in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. No representations had been received in relation to the proposal to consider this item in private.

To seek approval to modernise the supported housing service following a full review of the current service and consultation events.

Decision

That the recommendation contained within the report be approved.

Alternation options considered and rejected were set out in the report.

Modernisation of the supported housing service offered by the Council included a proposed amendment to the staffing structure, including amended working practices, and an increase in the use of technology.

The reasons associated with the Executive’s decision on this item were set out in the report.

An extract of the minutes from the meeting of the City of Lincoln Council and Employee Joint Consultative (Health, Safety and Welfare) Committee held on 2 July 2019 was appended to the report, which recommended approval of the recommendations contained within the report.