Meeting documents

David Vincent presented the Corporate Health & Safety Annual Report 2012/13.  Members were informed that:

• The total number of work-related injuries remains low with 29 recorded, which is equal to the previous year's low level;


• A reduction in the number of lost days through work-related injuries, from 208 (2011/12) to 148 in 2012/13;


• The ongoing delivery of the Council's comprehensive health and safety training programme, with a total of 105 staff having received health and safety training from a range of 10 courses;


• Seven services/teams were audited in this period, with recommendations made where improvements are required.  Six monthly follow up meetings are then conducted to assess progress with implementation of required recommendations;


• All of the objectives within the Health & Safety Action Plan 2011/12 are "green" and have been completed within the required timescales, with the exception of reviewing/converting policies into codes of practice.  This will be carried forward into 2013/14.

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses from officers as follows:

• The benchmarking made good reading but how does the Council compare to other districts.  Fenland always compares itself to Hunts District Council as they are a similar council offering similar services but there is work in progress to try and achieve a wider remit, including Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, which should be included within the next report;


• Concern was raised regarding Wisbech port and traffic management of lorries using this facility.  Officers advised that this would be a Cambridgeshire County Council Highways issue but it would be advisable for officers to liaise with Cambridgeshire County Council to learn more about any potential implications;


• How does Fenland compare to others regarding the effectiveness of reporting to which officers advised that Fenland has combined the accident reporting system with the near miss reporting and this system has proved very effective and has cascaded through the staff.  This had originally seen the reporting figures rise but that was part of the success of the scheme; these figures are now consistent;


• Is first aid training carried out, how many first aiders are there and where are they based; this is not clear within the report to which officers replied that there are the appropriate amount of first aiders and fire marshalls and these are listed on the staff intranet pages as well as on notice boards around the building;


• What areas have not been audited and what are the risks associated with those areas.  Officers advised that every team is audited, the high risk areas are audited every two years with a progress follow up after six months and the lower risk areas are managed via a self audit system.

The Council's performance within the report, which has also been cascaded to the Corporate Management Team and the Council's Health and Safety Panel was NOTED.

Members considered proposals to review the Council's Projects and Assets Team, within the Growth and Infrastructure service area.  Members were informed of:

• The circumstances and details of the proposed changes;


• the financial implications associated with the proposed changes;


• The comments and feedback put forward during the consultation process.

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses from officers.

Decided that:

1. The report be NOTED;


2. The proposals outlined in the report be APPROVED;


3. The deleted/changed/new posts be APPROVED;


4. The increased business growth experienced by the service be NOTED.

(Members resolved to exclude the public from the meeting for this item of business on the grounds that it involved the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.)