Issue - meetings

This report details progress made on the delivery of Health & Safety and Fire Safety governance arrangements for BCP Council and highlights:

·       Implementation of Governance framework

·       Reporting to the Health and Safety and Fire Safety Board

·       Covid 19 response and the recovery

·       An overview of service delivery

The Health and Safety Manager presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The report detailed progress made on the delivery of Health & Safety and Fire Safety governance arrangements for BCP Council. Health and Safety and Fire Safety Board meetings were reported to be taking place quarterly with good attendance by Service Directors or their representatives. In addition, the Health and Safety and Fire Safety Forum provided the means of consultation with all employees and opportunities to share best practice on a scheduled basis and through a dedicated Microsoft Teams Channel. The latest situation regarding the lifting by Central Government of legal requirements relating to Covid was also noted.

The report also provided a comprehensive summary of operational activity including particularly the Health &Safety Executive (HSE) unannounced visit to a BCP Council highways scheme. The HSE had found that actual arrangements on site were safe but were likely to make a number of suggested improvements to training and awareness of policies and procedures amongst workers on site and to arrangements for monitoring the impact on workers’ health of hazards such as vibration or noise.

There were reported vacancies within the Team for which recruitment was currently under way and which had resulted in prioritisation of some key activities. Members were reassured, however, that, following resignation of the Corporate Director, interim arrangements were in place to provide continuity whilst ultimate responsibility remained with the Chief Executive.

RESOLVED that

(a)  Health & Safety and Fire Safety on-going governance arrangements continue to be reported to the Audit and Governance Committee annually;

(b)  Audit and Governance Committee notes the continued progress in implementing the Health and Safety and Fire Safety governance arrangements and the operational updates;

(c)  That in order to raise awareness of activity and governance arrangements relating to Health and Safety and Fire Safety across the Council, a copy of the report be circulated to all members of Council.

Voting: Unanimous