Human Resources Committee
Meeting Summary
Meeting Agenda
1. Election of Chairman for 2026/27
To elect a Committee Chairman for the municipal year 2026/27.
2. Election of Vice Chairman for the year 2026/27
To elect a Committee Vice Chairman for the municipal year 2026/27.
3. Apologies for Absence
To receive apologies for absence and note apologies not received
4. Declarations of Interest
- Pecuniary Interests: To receive Declarations of Pecuniary Interests as declared on the Register of Interests.
- Non-registerable Interests: To receive Declarations of Non-registerable Interests.
- Dispensations: The Clerk will consider and report on any requests for dispensation in line with the Council’s Code of Conduct.
- Gifts & Hospitality: To declare any gifts or hospitality in line with the Council’s Code of Conduct
5. Public Participation[1]
To hear from members of the public who wish to make representations, answer questions and give evidence in respect of the business on the agenda. A question shall not require a response at the meeting nor start a debate on the question. The chairman of the meeting may direct that a written or oral response be given.
6. Committee Meeting Minutes
To receive and resolve to adopt the minutes of the Human Resources committee meeting held on Wednesday 29th April 2026 to allow the presiding Chairman to duly sign.
7. Clerk’s Report
To receive a verbal report from the Clerk on any matters arising from previous minutes, meetings attended by officers and future dates for the diary. For information only.
8. Parish Councillor’s Reports
To include an update on any meetings attended by Members as representatives of the Parish Council and future dates for the diary. For information only.
9. Employment Policy & Procedure Review
To review the following policies and procedures and resolve recommendations to Full Council –
Adoption
Bereaved Partners Paternity Leave
Eye Test
Health & Safety
Leave
Lone Worker
Maternity
Neonatal
Paternity
Safeguarding
Shared Parental Leave
Smoking
Training – Councillors
Training – Staff
10. Health & Safety Audit Panel
To resolve the appointment of two (2) members plus one substitute to the Health & Safety Audit Panel
11. Health & Safety (H&S)
To receive a report from the Clerk on H&S staff related matters and resolve any action required.
To receive the committee and Council H&S checklists and resolve any action required.
12. Civility & Respect Governance Checklist
To receive a report from Cllr Debby Hussey and resolve any action required.
13. Strategic Plan Review
To review the items within the strategic plan under the remit of the committee and to resolve any action required.
14. Mileage & Fuel Rates and Allowances
To note that from 1st April 2026, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) changed the approved mileage rates for the tax year 2026/27. To resolve that the Clerk update any relevant policies and documents to reflect the change and that any claims to date be backdated to include the additional amount.
15. Training
To receive details of ICCM Management of Memorials training for five members of staff and resolve any action required.
16. National Conference
To resolve approval of the Clerk and Deputy Clerk’s attendance at the National Conference in October 2026 as per the terms of the written statement of particulars at a cost of £715 plus VAT.
17. Confidential Matter(s)
To resolve that under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, the public and representatives of the press and broadcast media be excluded from the meeting, and that the live streaming and any recording cease, during the consideration of the following item(s) of business as publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest because of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted –
Staffing Matters
Committee Members:
Cllr Julie Broad
Cllr Anne Hartshorne
Cllr Debby Hussey
Cllr Keith Truscott
Vacancy
Substitutes:
Cllr Steve Oakley
Vacancy
[1] Standing Order 3f: Total time allowed will be 15 minutes (limit of 3 minutes per person) which may be varied at the discretion of the Chairman.
Meeting Minutes
Present:
Cllr Julie Broad, Anne Hartshorne, Cllr Debby Hussey, and Cllr Keith Truscott.
In attendance:
Linda Ranger – Clerk & RFO.
Cllr Keith Truscott welcomed everyone to the meeting. He ran through housekeeping procedures and advised everyone present that if they intended to participate in the meeting, they could be recorded, photographed, filmed, or otherwise reported about.
HR21/26 Election of Chairman:
It was
RESOLVED to elect Cllr Keith Truscott as Committee Chairman for 2026/27.
Proposed by Cllr Julie Broad. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour
Action: Clerk
HR22/26 Election of Vice Chairman:
It was
RESOLVED to elect Cllr Julie Broad as Committee Vice Chairman for 2026/27.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour
Action: Clerk
HR23/26 Apologies for Absence:
None.
HR24/26 Declarations of Interest:
- There were no declarations of pecuniary interests.
- There were no declarations of non-registerable interests.
- There were no dispensation requests.
- There were no declarations of gifts or hospitality.
HR25/26 Public Participation:
None present and no questions received.
HR26/26 Previous Committee Meeting Minutes:
It was
RESOLVED to adopt the minutes of the HR committee meeting held on Wednesday 29th April 2026 as a true and accurate record.
Proposed by Cllr Debby Hussey. Seconded by Cllr Julie Broad. All voted in favour
The Chairman duly signed the minutes.
HR27/26 Clerk’s Report:
The Clerk advised that a member of the administration team had been called up for jury service for two weeks as from 10th August 2026.
Members were reminded of Ken Doherty’s funeral arrangements.
The Clerk gave feedback from the recent team meeting.
Members were advised that the Clerk was still working on the revised Written Statement of Particulars and the staff consultation should begin in the next few weeks.
HR28/26 Parish Councillor Reports:
Cllr Julie Broad gave feedback from the Meet & Greet event and the meeting with Ocean Housing that she had attended.
Cllr Debby Hussey advised that she had responded to the education consultation, answered the query from Treviscoe Community Centre re additional land, and attended the Ocean Housing meeting.
Cllr Anne Hartshorne reported that she had attended the Meet & Greet event.
Cllr Keith Truscott gave feedback on the Meet & Greet event he had attended.
HR29/26 Employment Policy and Procedure Review:
It was
RESOLVED to recommend adoption of the amended Adoption policy to Full Council.
Proposed by Cllr Debby Hussey. Seconded by Cllr Keith Truscott. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
It was
RESOLVED to recommend adoption of the amended Bereaved Partners Paternity Leave policy to Full Council.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
It was
RESOLVED to recommend adoption of the amended Eye Test policy to Full Council.
Proposed by Cllr Debby Hussey. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
It was
RESOLVED to recommend adoption of the amended Health & Safety policy to Full Council.
Proposed by Cllr Julie Broad. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
It was
RESOLVED to recommend adoption of the amended Leave policy to Full Council.
Proposed by Cllr Debby Hussey. Seconded by Cllr Julie Broad. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
It was
RESOLVED to recommend adoption of the amended Lone Worker policy to Full Council.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
Members were advised that new updated templates had been received from South West Councils for the Maternity, Neonatal, Paternity and Shared Parental Leave policies. There had not been time to review these policies prior to the meeting. It was
RESOLVED to defer consideration of the Maternity, Neonatal, Paternity and Shared Parental Leave policies until the next meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Julie Broad. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
It was
RESOLVED to recommend adoption of the amended Safeguarding policy to Full Council.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
It was
RESOLVED to recommend adoption of the amended Smoking/Vaping policy to Full Council.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
It was
RESOLVED to recommend adoption of the amended Training – Councillors policy to Full Council.
Proposed by Cllr Julie Broad. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
It was
RESOLVED to recommend adoption of the amended Training – Staff policy to Full Council.
Proposed by Cllr Julie Broad. Seconded by Cllr Keith Truscott. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
HR30/26 Health & Safety Audit Panel:
It was
RESOLVED to appoint Cllr Debby Hussey and Cllr Keith Truscott to the Health & Safety audit panel with Cllr Anne Hartshorne as substitute.
Proposed by Cllr Julie Broad. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
HR31/26 Health & Safety:
It was
RESOLVED to note the report on accidents, near misses and hazards that had been circulated prior to the meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Julie Broad. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
The Clerk advised that the asbestos survey on all Council buildings had been carried out. As this was not specifically staff related, it had been passed to the Property & Services Committee for consideration and action.
It was
RESOLVED to note the two H&S checklists and that no action was required by the committee at this time.
Proposed by Cllr Julie Broad. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour.
HR32/26 Civility & Respect Governance Checklist:
Cllr Debby Hussey gave an update on the Civility & Respect Checklist that she had completed.
It was
RESOLVED that the Clerk should have an appraisal as soon as possible and that the matter of a Councillor not undertaking Code of Conduct training within 6 months of appointment be referred to Full Council.
Proposed by Cllr Debby Hussey. Seconded by Cllr Keith Truscott. All voted in favour.
Action: Cllr Keith Truscott, Cllr Julie Broad and Clerk
HR33/26 Strategic Plan Review:
It was
RESOLVED that when the Clerk carried out the changes requested by Full Council, Health & Safety be added to the action plan along with a general employment item that covered the remit of the committee.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Julie Broad. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
It was agreed that the Clerk should remain in the room for the next item.
HR34/26 Mileage & Fuel Rates and Allowances:
After discussion in which it was noted that mileage claims were currently at NJC rates, it was
RESOLVED to note that HMRC had increased the approved mileage rates for 2026/27, that the Clerk update any relevant policies to match the new HMRC rate for adoption by Full Council and that once complete, any claims be backdated to 1st April 2026.
Proposed by Cllr Debby Hussey. Seconded by Cllr Julie Broad. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
HR35/26 Training:
It was
RESOLVED that the operations team and relevant administration staff attend Management of Memorial training with ICCM at a cost of £950 plus VAT with any spare places being offered to other local councils through Cornwall ALC at a share of the cost.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Julie Broad. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
It was agreed that the Clerk should remain in the room for the next item.
HR36/26 National Conference:
It was
RESOLVED that the Clerk and Deputy Clerk attend National conference.
Proposed by Cllr Debby Hussey. Seconded by Cllr Julie Broad. All voted in favour.
Action: Clerk
HR37/26 Confidential Matter(s):
It was
RESOLVED that under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, the public, representatives of the press and broadcast media and non-committee members be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business as publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest because of the confidential nature of the following business to be transacted.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour
Staff Leave and Absence Report
The Clerk gave a verbal update on holiday, absence, and time off in lieu (TOIL). It was
RESOLVED to note the report with no action required from the committee at this time.
Proposed by Cllr Julie Broad. Seconded by Cllr Keith Truscott. All voted in favour
121 and Wellness Action Plan Feedback
The Clerk gave a verbal update on recent staff 121’s which included the Wellness Action Plan questionnaire. It was
RESOLVED to note the report with no action required from the committee at this time.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour
Probation Review
It was
RESOLVED to note the update from the Clerk with no action required from the committee at this time.
Proposed by Cllr Keith Truscott. Seconded by Cllr Deby Hussey. All voted in favour
Future Probation Review
It was
RESOLVED to note the update from the Clerk with no action required from the committee at this time.
Proposed by Cllr Debby Hussey. Seconded by Cllr Keith Truscott. All voted in favour
Job Description
It was
RESOLVED that the Clerk draft a new job description for the role, which would be considered at the next committee meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Debby Hussey. Seconded by Cllr Julie Broad. All voted in favour
Staffing Matter
It was
RESOLVED to note the action taken by the Clerk and the reasoning plus agreed that Cllr Debby Hussey offer support if required.
Proposed by Cllr Julie Broad. Seconded by Cllr Keith Truscott. All voted in favour
It was agreed that the Clerk should remain in the room for the next item.
Other Employment
It was
RESOLVED to grant permission, as per the terms of the contract, for the staff member to be engaged in other employment and that the permission be put in writing.
Proposed by Cllr Anne Hartshorne. Seconded by Cllr Debby Hussey. All voted in favour
Action: Cllr Keith Truscott and Clerk
The meeting ended at 6.45pm
Signed as a true and accurate record –
Chairman ………………………………….…
Date …………………………………….
RECOMMENDATIONS:
HR29/26 Employment Policy and Procedure Review:
To adopt the amended Adoption policy.
To adopt the amended Bereaved Partners Paternity Leave policy.
To adopt the amended Eye Test policy.
To adopt the amended Health & Safety policy.
To adopt the amended Leave policy.
To adopt the amended Lone Worker policy.
To adopt the amended Safeguarding policy.
To adopt the amended Smoking/Vaping policy.
To adopt the amended Training – Councillors policy.
To adopt the amended Training – Staff policy.