Melksham Town Council
Staffing Committee – Reporting to Full Council
Terms of Reference
The management of the staff of the Town Council is an operational matter and firmly in the domain of the Town Clerk.
1. Membership
Three elected Members plus the Town Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The Committee shall be appointed in every election year and remain in place for the term of office of the council, save for the Mayor and Deputy.
Members wishing to serve on the Staffing Committee should provide a summary of their qualifications and experience in the area of personnel matters. These will then be placed before a meeting of Full Council for a decision as to membership. Members of the Staffing Committee will be provided with training on an on-going basis, which they will be expected to undertake.
The quorum shall be THREE members of the committee. The committee will meet on an ‘as required’ basis.
2. Authority
Local Government Act 1972, Sections 101 and 102.
3. Delegated Business
The Council’s Standing Orders will apply to all meetings of the Committee. Unless the Council directs otherwise, the Committee may arrange to devolve any of its functions to a sub-committee or to an officer.
The committee will have the right to resolve to restrict access to the rest of the council, where, in the committee’s opinion, the papers and or information is deemed to be of a sensitive confidential nature. Councillors will need to demonstrate a ‘need to know,’ if they require sight of any other papers produced by or for the committee.
In any case where there is the potential for an appeal or claim against the council for unfair dismissal or constructive dismissal, before any information about the case is shared outside of the Staffing Committee and or the Appeals Panel, the time for appeal must have lapsed before the information can be shared.
The Committee has delegated authority to deal with the following matters on an ongoing basis or to conclusion:
3.1. To deal with all matters affecting the appointment, discipline, salary and terms and conditions of the Town Clerk.
3.2. To carry out the Town Clerk’s annual appraisal and agree objectives
3.3. To deal with any grievance regarding the Town Clerk
3.4. To deal with any staff matters referred to the committee by the Town Clerk, noting that all staff matters relating to the senior management team (SMT) are to be dealt with by the Staffing Committee (the SMT comprises the Head of Operations and the Deputy Town Clerk)
3.5. To interview for SMT appointments, in conjunction with the Town Clerk, and make decisions where appropriate
3.6. To consider, where referred by the Town Clerk, any matters emanating from the absence, grievance and disciplinary procedures contained in the Employee Handbook applicable to all members of staff employed by the Town Council
3.7. Approve the awarding of contractual Scale Point increments, as appropriate
3.8. To receive updates on staffing matters including restructuring and significant changes to job descriptions.
4. Delegation to the Town Clerk
In accordance with Standing Orders, the Town Clerk shall be empowered to exercise and perform on behalf of and in the name of and without further reference to the Council or other such appropriate committee of the Council all powers and duies of the Council in relation to the following:-
Staffing Matters
Adopted by Full Council on 21 March 2022
Support officer: Linda Roberts, Town Clerk.
Postal address:
Town Hall
Market Place
Melksham
SN12 6ES
Phone: 01225 704187
Email: townhall@melksham-tc.gov.uk