Rosa Kay - "Human Resources and Diversity in Bolton"
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These are notes from the talk by Bolton's Burnden Ward Cllr. Rosa Kay, Portfolio Holder for Human Resources and Diversity, taken directly from the Deane-Cum-Heaton Labour Party's Branch minutes.
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John welcomed Rosa who has held the Portfolio for Human Resources and Diversity since the reorganisation of Bolton Council about two years ago.
Rosa began by saying that every department of the Borough has strategic plans and central departments have to have a three-year plan. 600 people are employed in the central departments - 79 in Chief Executive's, 246 in Central Services and 281 in Finance.
The strategic plans are updated annually. 3,000 people are employed by the council excluding teachers and a consistent approach is necessary.
An overall commitment is that all departments develop a workforce which reflects the changing needs of the community. The portfolio is the "glue" which holds together the other portfolios and is a cross department function. It must monitor and implement the modernising agenda and changing legislative requirements. Best Value and the McPherson Report have also had an effect.
There is a Policy Development Group, which reviews the current policies and develops new ones and a Value and Diversity Working Party set up to make significant contributions to implementation of the strategic plans. Recruitment, Employment Services, Health and Safety, the Community of Mosques, the Hindu Forum and a group representing the Afro-Caribbean community are also involved.
Cultural change is needed from employees at all levels and proposals have to come forward to improve the quality and level of services offered, even though some issues are unpopular with the unions involved. One issue in particular, which has been problematic, is single status and this is an ongoing matter. The Council regards its employees equally but there are many remaining remnants of the past, e.g. the division between so-called blue and white-collar workers.
Ethnic Minorities Business Services is doing very well and is encouraging ethnic minority women to get involved in their own businesses. The authority is trying to get a workforce to reflect the community in which we live, but this will take quite a long time. Now, all vacant posts will be advertised externally as well internally.
Training includes elected member (i.e. Councillor) training and a compulsory element of all training is on racial discrimination. Work is also being undertaken on disabilities legislation and the coming week is International Women's Week with Mrs. Putnak as the guest speaker.
Discussion:
| Pauline: | How large is the training budget? |
| Rosa: | Each Department has its own budget. The Training Unit is based at Thomasson House at present. Training is mainly internal although for certain issues, e.g. race training, it is bought in, in the case of race from the CRE. |
| John: | What have we learned from the race riots in Oldham, Burnley, etc? |
| Rosa: | A great deal. The Bolton Anti-Harassment Forum has been set up and has done a great deal. In Bolton there is still more integration between ethnic groups than in Oldham and Burnley. There are some concerns about schools. In a few primary schools there are only one or two white children. There are others where the reverse is the case. But we can't force parents to send children to schools away from their immediate area. We have three Asian candidates in winnable seats in this years local elections and there will be more in the years ahead. Ethnic minority school numbers are increasing and are now about 17% of the primary school population. |
| Alan: | Asked about "single status". |
| Rosa: | As I already said there are still barriers between so-called blue and white-collar workers but the Council is trying hard to unify working hours, holidays and other terms and conditions. There has to be give and take with some gaining more than others. The town hall unions agreed to improve productivity to cover the costs of single status but the promised increase hasn't happened. There remain big problems regarding car allowances and sickness absence, which needs to be got down to 5%. |
There were a number of other questions and points and a general discussion.
John thanked Rosa for her talk and members for their contribution to the discussion.
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