Introduction
1. The Personnel Committee is a committee of the Witham St Hughs Parish Council established to advise the council on matters relating to employment of staff. Its purpose is to review all personnel procedures, be the first contact for all employee/employer matters, advise full council accordingly on such matters, and act on its instructions when called upon. The Personnel Committee will also undertake specific tasks as delegated by full council under Standing Orders.
Membership and Operation
1. Three Parish Councillors shall be appointed to the committee (Excluding the Chairman of the Parish Council) with 3 parish councillors required for each meeting to be quorate. Membership of the Personnel Committee may also include additional persons from outside of the parish council (non-parish councillors) who bring further expertise and skills. Non-parish councillors may not be permitted to vote on matters relating to disciplinary action, selection of staff, employment of staff, staff pay, staff contracts or other such significant matters directly impacting on employees of Witham St Hughs Parish Council.
2. The Committee shall appoint its Chairman annually as the first item of business at its first meeting following the Annual Meeting of the Council in May.
3. The Committee shall have no set calendar and shall be convened by the calling of a meeting by the Clerk as directed, or by the chairman or by two members of the committee via written request to the chairman at any time.
4. The quorum shall be 3 parish councillors. With 3 members it would be unlikely that there would not be a resolution and the Chair always has a casting vote.
5. The Chair shall have the power to invite other individuals to attend any meeting if deemed appropriate to the order of business.
6. The Personnel Committee will act as the Line Manager for Witham St Hughs Parish Councils’ Clerk.
7. A closed session of a Personnel Committee meeting will be minuted and available for the public – in brief – but the confidential information relating to employees will only be available to the Personnel Committee and the member of staff it may refer to.
8. The committee shall undertake an annual review of these Terms of Reference, and recommend any changes needed to Witham St Hughs Parish Council. All parish councillors who are members of the Personnel Committee will be required to stand down at the Annual Parish Council Meeting whereby the parish council will vote in new Personnel Committee members.
9. Personnel Committee meetings will be held on an ‘as required’ basis but at least once a year to carry out the Clerk’s Annual Appraisal.
10. To ensure a system is in place to deal with day-to-day liaison matters with the clerk, the Personnel Committee is the point of call for sickness reporting and approval of such things as annual holidays for the Clerk, however such tasks can be delegated to the Clerk for other members of staff.
11. Notes of meetings will be taken by an appointed person or the Clerk, notes shall be formally approved at the next meeting of the Committee.
12. The Personnel Committee can make decisions by resolution to approve any changes to Contracts or Pay and Conditions of any member of Staff. The Personnel Committee cannot make decisions on the employment or dismissal of staff; however, it can agree to propose recommendations for full council approval.
13. Highly confidential documentation may, at the reasonable discretion of the Personnel Committee, be stored securely away from the Parish Clerk’s office (e.g. at the offices of an appointed solicitor or legal advisor) but must not be stored at any residence of any member of the committee or parish council.
Reviewed May 2022 - amendment to number of councillors required on the committee (no 1 of Membership & operation)
Reviewed May 2023, no amendments