Agenda and minutes

apologies for absence were received from Councillors B Hoare and Flavell.

At this point the Chair referred to the `Handling Complaints’ Leaflet.  The Committee requested that it be ascertained that the all Members had been sent a copy of the leaflet.

The Chair signed the minutes of the meeting of 21 September 2004.

There were none.

There were none.

The Head of Overview and Scrutiny advised that the draft strategy had been submitted to the Chairs and Deputies asking for member involvement on a working party.  They had suggested that the political groups nominate members to the working party and that this committee might want to monitor the progress of the draft strategy.

The Committee commented that the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy could only be achieved on a partnership basis.

Members suggested that once the strategy was completed, the Leader be asked to address this Committee on how NBC could carry out its role and how it could be ensured that NBC complied with the Strategy.  It was agreed that it would be beneficial for the Working Party to give a progress report to this Committee early next year.

Jennifer Jackson, Corporate Personnel Manager and Sue Croughan, Head of Human Resources addressed the Committee on the Council’s Attendance Management Framework and Attendance Management Policy. It detailed NBC’s position on sickness absence levels, what the Authority was doing to address absence levels and gave a clear indication of the roles and responsibilities of line managing sickness absence.

NBC’s sickness absence levels were higher than average.  There had been a steady rise in sickness absence over the past four years to 13 average days (5%) per full time employee for the period ending 31 March 2004.  Councils in the upper quartile had sickness absence of eight days (3%) per full time employee. We consistently failed to achieve our own targets with an average 17,000 days lost across the organisation.

Improving sickness absence was a key priority in the Recovery Plan.  The target was to be in the upper quartile by 2006/07.  The target for 2004/05 was 11.5 days per full time employee.   Details of data for the first quartile would be analysed by January 2005.

The impact of absence equated to £1.8 million. If overtime and replacement cover figures were included this figure would increase to £2 million.  (Further work on meaningful data was needed.)

Measures that would be introduced as the most effective to reduce sickness absence included: -

• Return to work interviews
• Early Occupational Health referral
• Robust trigger points for management action
• Steps to guide managers through short/long term absences
• Emphasis on monitoring and evaluating data to identify causes of absence
• Training on absence monitoring

The impact of sickness absence included: -

• Impact on Managers’ time trying to find replacement cover
• Return to work interviews
• Continuity of service delivery
• Morale and performance of employees left to cover the work

The Committee discussed the following concerns:

• Whether there was a policy of departments only permitting a set percentage of staff to be on leave at any one time
• The proportion of sickness absence due to stress
• Whether employees with stress could self-refer to Occupational Health
• The statutory requirement for time off for ante-natal care
• Whether occupational injury sick leave was monitored separately
• Whether assaults on employees were recorded
• Whether Investors in People (IIP) status was being aimed for
• Whether any employees had been dismissed for absence reasons
• The need to monitor occupational injury to identify the profile of NBC
• Ensuring managers managed this effectively
• How to promote a positive attendance culture, people wanting to work for NBC
• Drilling down beyond ‘average’ figures (some off 30 days, some none) to get a real picture.
• Absence breaking the contract of employment   - sanctions
• Cutting some slack to avoid sickness absence when ‘leeway’ is needed

Members were informed that: -

• A Council Policy was not in place for percentage staffing levels, other than for health and safety
• Antenatal care and disability treatment was not dealt with under sickness absence but was monitored in its own right.
• Occupational Health Providers would shortly be hosting an Awareness Day on how to best manage stress.  Employees  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Members heard that the Recovery Board would be updating the Annexe to the Recovery Plan at its meeting on 4 November and it was suggested that once this document was updated it be debated at a future meeting of this Committee.

The Chair referred to the Development of Overview and Scrutiny Seminar that had been postponed to accommodate the Call in Hearing on 2 November. It was suggested that the Political Parties discuss a series of convenient dates for re-scheduling the Seminar and forward details to the Head of Overview and Scrutiny as to how effective monitoring could be achieved.

The Chair had placed this item on the agenda, in order that Members could decide if they should carry out a review of green burials, or maybe refer the item to Health and Environment Scrutiny Committee as cemeteries were running out of space and this was a possible solution.

The Chair referred to the privately run green burial site at Olney, commenting that the initiative retained the natural land as a park.  Each burial had an oak tree planted and it was envisaged that the site would eventually become a mini forest.

Alan Adkinson, Head of Outdoor Environment, explained that NBC had introduced green burials in 1996, allocating 300 single spaces, 34 of which had been taken and 55 pre-purchased.  Green burials were promoted in NBC’s cemeteries booklet, which was available at local undertakers.  When applying for a grave, individuals were given details of green burials.  Monuments were not permitted, but trees, shrubs or wild flowers could be planted and a small embossed plaque that eventually biodegraded was allowed.  Trees could not be planted on every grave, as they were only one foot apart. Coffins were made of biodegradable materials. 

Graves were currently being electronically tagged to ensure a record of individual sites. Individuals could carry out a green burial without the assistance of an undertaker but would have to notify the Department of Births, Deaths & Marriages of the location of a grave.

The committee discussed issues concerning: -

• Charges for green burials compared to standard ones
• The amount of space being used and the possibility for vertical burial Costs ad regulations for scattering ashes
• The need for a standard coffin
• Whether more burials can be accommodated than in a regular site

The Committee was informed that: -

• The charge for traditional and green burials was the same.  For a green burial there would be no monument fee, trees, shrubs or wild flowers were included in the price.
• NBC’s green burial site would continue for a number of years.  Investigations would take place to expand green burials to other cemeteries within the Borough.  There were different burial practices over the country, but burying coffins upright could be contrary to some religious beliefs.   If there was a request for a vertical burial it could be accommodated.
• Approximately 2/3 of all disposals were by cremation.  Two caskets could be buried in 2` by 2` of land.  Ashes could be scattered almost anywhere with the landowner’s permission.  It was forbidden to scatter ashes on sports grounds.  The cost of interring ashes into a plot in a crematorium was £280, £65 for green ashes.
• Bodies did not have to be buried in a coffin but must be covered by a shroud.  If the body had a contagious disease it must be placed in body bag.

The Chair was pleased that NBC offered a green burial service but was disappointed that the present service would not help the shortage of land problem; in fact our green burials used more space than the conventional ones. She  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

The meeting concluded at 8:06 pm.