Issue - meetings

To receive an update on outstanding audit recommendations as requested at the previous meeting. This to include an update on recommendations made within the Developmental Control area (please see attached as a response from the Head of Planning, Economy and Regeneration).

At the previous meeting the Committee had requested that they receive an update in relation to the recommendations made in the internal audit for the Developmental Control Area. The Group Manager for Developmental Control made reference to the response from the Head of Planning, Economy and Regeneration where the recommendations had been addressed. This response had been attached to the agenda for the meeting. Recommendations were monitored on a two yearly basis by reference to the south west best practice group. The service was consistently meeting targets set nationally.

The Chairman stated that as Chair of the Committee and a Ward Member he frequently heard from various sources that officers were saying they were under a great deal of pressure in terms of volumes of work and imposed timescales. He felt that the Committee had a responsibility to address the welfare of the staff if issues were being flagged up. He would be meeting with the Leader and the Cabinet Member shortly and would report back to the Committee.

The Chairman also referred to previous conversations that had taken place regarding figures in relation to sickness absence. He informed the Committee that he had met with the Group Manager for Human Resources and that this issue was being addressed at the highest level. An action plan was being formulated and he was now satisfied that there was a plan in place to deal with this issue.