Agenda and draft minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED that the decision record of the meeting held on the 3^rd May 2024 be signed as a correct record

The Cabinet Member received a report which explained that Authority’s Behavioural Standards Guidance had been updated to reflect new legal duties for employers to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.

The report highlighted that the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 had introduced important new protections for employees, strengthening the law against sexual harassment in the workplace.  The new law which came into force on 26^th October 2024, placed a legal duty on the Authority to take proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment.

The Cabinet Member noted that the new law expected the Authority as an employer to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment. It was reported that whilst ‘Reasonable steps’ was not defined in the Act, and what this looked like would vary depending on the workplace. However, as a large public sector employer, the following steps would be carried out in order to strengthen the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace:-

• Comprehensive Training
• Clear Reporting Mechanisms
• Effective Policies
• Conduct Risk Assessments
• Foster a Positive Work Culture

RESOLVED that revised Behavioural Standards Guidance be adopted.

The Cabinet Member received a report which appended an amended Health and Safety Policy.

The Cabinet Member was informed that the Corporate Health and Safety Policy was a legal requirement and required a 3 yearly review.  Following a recent review, minor amendments had been made to the Policy with the key changes being made to property related risk.

The Cabinet Member noted that the policy had been out for consultation across the Authority and with Trade Unions. In addition, the Corporate Health and Safety Leadership Board had approved the policy on 18^th September 2024 and now sought the Cabinet Member’s approval.

RESOLVED that the amended Health and Safety Policy be approved.

The Cabinet Member received a report on the new Chief Officer Disciplinary Process Guidance. The purpose was to create a Guidance document that would consolidate the nationally agreed disciplinary procedures that were applicable to Chief Officers outlined in the JNC Handbook, the ACAS Guidance, the Standing Orders (Wales) Regulations and the Council’s Constitution, so that all relevant information was easily accessible within one document.

The Cabinet Member was informed that the Guidance document covered the Authority’s Chief Executive, Directors and Heads of Service including statutory officers and should be read in conjunction with the JNC Chief Officers and Chief Executives Handbooks. The guidance document was split into 4 sections each covering the rules and procedures applicable to each group.

RESOLVED that the Chief Officer Disciplinary Process Guidance be adopted.