Minutes of meeting 12th December 2007
Boardroom Floor 7 Goodwood House
BT1 4NN
- Present:Mr Sid McDowell (Chairman)
- Professor Bernard Cullen
- Mr Brian Hanna
- Mr Jim McCusker (morning session only)
- Mrs Brenda McLaughlin (afternoon session only)
- Mr Desmond Mitchell
- Dr Collim Patton
- In Attendance:Mr Brian Martin
- Mrs Iris Lovell
- Miss Susan Dornan
- Miss Julie Thompson (afternoon session only)
The Commission meeting opened at 10.35am.
1. Apologies
There were no apologies.
2. Minutes of meeting 1st December
The minutes of the 1st December meeting were agreed.
3. Matters Arising
3.1 Draft Enterprise Ulster [Dissolution] Order 2007
The Chairman reported that a letter had been sent to Government registering the Commission’s continuing concerns. The issue of how job opportunities within the RPA Affected Group are advertised was also raised in the letter.
Agreed: Chief Executive to follow up with Government and report back to the Commission.
3.2 RPA Affected Group
Commissioners discussed the latest version of the document and agreed some amendments.
Agreed: Secretariat to seek legal advice on the revised document and circulate this advice to Commissioners before sharing the document with Government. Secretariat to consider whether Guiding Principles 2 and 4 need to refined.
3.3 4th Sector Event
The Chairman advised that the planned Government event would not take place until January or February.
3.4 Cross Sector HR Forum
The Chairman reported that there had been no response from Government yet.
Agreed: Chief Executive to follow up and report back to the Commission.
3.5 Vacancy Management Strategies
The Chairman informed Commissioners that, at the last meeting, the Commission had received returns from Government on the operation of vacancy management strategies. Further analysis had been requested but not yet received. Commissioners expressed concern about the implementation and monitoring of the Guiding Principles once they had been accepted by Government.
Noted: The Commission may commission research on the effectiveness of the implementation of the Guiding Principles.
Agreed: Chief Executive to follow up on the request for analysis with Government and report back to the Commission. Implementation and monitoring of Guiding Principles to be discussed with Government at the Commission meeting on 17th January 2007.
3.6 HPSS HR Framework Document
The Chairman reported that the Commission’s response to the Framework Document had issued to Government on 1st December 2006 and that Commissioners had been copied into that correspondence.
4. Chairman’s Business
4.1 RPA Steering Group
The Chairman reported that he had attended the RPA Steering Group meeting on 1st December 2006. The meeting had touched upon a number of issues including the possible formation of a program board to handle issues at a more detailed level than current arrangements and on communication, the need for Government to provide employers with advice on, and interpretation of, the high level Guiding Principles.
4.2 Rural Development Council (RDC)
The Chairman informed Commissioners that he and the Chief Executive had met with the Chief and Deputy Chief Executives of the RDC on 7th December 2006. The discussion had focused on safeguarding the interests of staff and the applicability of the Commission’s Guiding Principles to the RDC.
5. Draft Recommendation - Third Guiding Principle and Associated Recommendations – Staff Transfers – Government Response
Commissioners discussed Government’s response to the third Guiding Principle and suggested that the Commission’s position on a number of points should be clarified for Government including pensions and third party dispute resolution arrangements.
Agreed: Chief Executive to write to Government clarifying the Commission’s position.
6. Selection of Staff for Transfer
Commissioners discussed the draft document, suggested some further amendments and considered that it might best be promulgated as an addendum to the Third Guiding Principle.
Agreed: Secretariat to revise the draft and send to Government, NIC/ICTU and the sectoral Staff Commissions for comment by 10th January 2007.
7. Fourth Guiding Principle and Associated Recommendations – Filling New or Substantially New Posts in New Organisations Being Created as a Result of the Review of Public Administration – Government Response
Commissioners discussed Government’s response which accepted the Guiding Principle and associated recommendations. Commissioners agreed that the powers of direction should be more enduring than the shadow period for new councils.
Agreed: Chief Executive to write to Government clarifying the Commission’s position on powers of direction.
8. Draft Fifth Guiding Principle and Associated Recommendations – Voluntary Severance Arrangements
Commissioners discussed the outcome of the consultation exercise; particularly Government’s rejection of two core elements of the draft Guiding Principle and associated recommendations – no compulsory redundancy and a single voluntary severance scheme. The Chairman reported that Government had informed the Commission “that there is a pressing need to initiate premature retirement procedures for a number of senior officers in Health and Social Services whose jobs disappear at the end of March 2007”.
Agreed: Secretariat to revise the draft and circulate to Commissioners for comment. Comments to be requested by 10th January 2007. Government to be invited to the Commission meeting on 17th January 2007 to explain its stated position. Revised draft to be shared with Government in advance of the meeting.
9. Draft Sixth Guiding Principle and Associated Recommendations – Employer Statutory Obligations
Commissioners discussed the draft and made some further amendments.
Agreed: Secretariat to amend the draft and formally submit to Government.
10. Draft Seventh Guiding Principle and Associated Recommendations – Location
Commissioners discussed the draft Principle and agreed a number of amendments.
Agreed: Secretariat to recast the draft Guiding Principle and issue to Government, the sectoral Staff Commissions and NIC/ICTU for comment. Comments to be requested by 10th January 2007.
11. Future Guiding Principles
Commissioners discussed a number of topics including equality; capacity building/training; the 4th Sector; change management and culture; and public sector values. Equality was considered to be an underpinning theme throughout the Commission’s Guiding Principles and had been emphasised in the sixth Guiding Principle. Commissioners agreed that a workshop on capacity building/training and development would be beneficial.
Agreed: Secretariat to organise a workshop for Commissioners in January to discuss the possibility of a Guiding Principle on capacity building, training and development. Sectoral Staff Commissions to be asked for advice on best practice.
12a.Chief Executive Designate of Libraries Authority
The Chairman reported that if this was to go to open competition, the Commission would expect to be given three weeks notice prior to advertisement.
12b. Draft Libraries (NI) Order 2007
Commissioners discussed the draft Libraries Order which had been received from Government and concluded that legal opinion should be sought.
Agreed: Chief Executive to seek legal advice on the draft Libraries (NI) Order 2007 as to whether or not it aligns with the Commission’s Guiding Principles and associated recommendations as accepted by Government.
13. The Fourth Sector
Discussion on the Fourth Sector was postponed until after the planned Government event due to take place in January or February 2007.
14. Any Other Business
None
15. Date of Next meeting
Wednesday 17th January 2007, 1030 – 1600hrs
Chairman's Signature
Date of Chairman's signature: 17th January 2007