First meeting of Employee Council at SBC
Monday, January 15 2007
Councillors, Senior Council Officers and Employee Representatives attended the first meeting of Scottish Borders Council’s Employee Council on Friday (12 January 2007).
The Employee Council was set up following a survey of all employees, which showed a need for better communication on a number of corporate issues. The European Union Directive for Informing and Consulting Employees states that by the end of 2007 all businesses with over 100 employees must inform and consult their staff about the business’s economic situation, employment prospects and major changes. Scottish Borders Council is leading the way by introducing the Employee Council to do this now.
The aim of the Employee Council is to motivate and improve performance among the Council’s 5,500 employees by consulting them on important issues.
Employee Council Chairman, Councillor Alasdair Hutton, said: “This is a most exciting venture. We are the first Council in mainland Scotland to give our staff such a direct voice in this way and I am determined that it will be heard at the highest level. The Employee Representatives are trailblazers in Scotland and in time I hope that every member of our staff will use this route to help make their work more satisfying and help to improve the service we give to every resident of the Borders.”
David Hume, Scottish Borders Council’s Chief Executive, said: “The Employee Council will help to put Scottish Borders Council at the forefront of employee relations in local government. This exciting new development gives employees the opportunity to have a voice on issues that are important to them. The Employee Representatives will play an important part in influencing decisions and shaping the future of communication at the Council.”
“There is a danger in any large organisation that senior management can seem remote from the rest of the staff, and that far-reaching decisions are taken for reasons that are only vaguely understood by the workforce. We want the new Employee Council to bring management and staff together to share information, exchange views and increase employee participation.”
James Chiles, an Employee Council Representative, is an Information Assistant in Social Work Services. He said: “I feel privileged to have been elected to represent my colleagues, and to be given the opportunity to give a voice to their views, concerns and ideas. I am sure that the Employee Council will allow the employees to make a vital contribution to the decision making process within Scottish Borders Council. Communication is the life blood of good organisations, and this is a valuable and positive opportunity for employees to exchange information with senior management and Elected Members in a constructive and innovative way.
I am looking forward to hearing what my colleagues have to say about the issues that will be raised, and while I know that there are many challenges ahead for the Employee Council, I am excited about the opportunities that this new forum gives us to improve Scottish Borders Council for everyone involved.”
Three Employee Council meetings will be held every year. The next meeting will take place on Thursday 8 March at 2pm in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters.
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