1.        PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1     The purpose of the report is to set out the process followed for the development of the Health and Safety Strategy and to gain approval for it to become the overarching document guiding our work to protect the health and safety of our workforce, councillors and those in receipt of our services.

2.        INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

2.1     The council has had a Health and Safety Strategy in place since 2011 which set out its aspiration and gave a direction for the framework of policies and guidance relating to all aspects of our business. The council places health and safety at the heart of all its activities and has a very good record of managing its activities safely and proactively supporting employee health. The strategy has been reviewed as a result of two key factors.

2.2     Firstly, since the development of the initial strategy there have been changes in the council’s priorities, the way we deliver services, particularly with the growth of partnership working and more commercial activities and the strategy needed to reflect these changes.

2.3     Secondly, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have recently launched their national strategy and the review enables an alignment with the national priorities.

2.4     The review has been led by the Council’s Health and Safety Committee (which includes the member champion for health and safety) and considered by the officer Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) before submission to members by means of the Policy and Resources Committee.

3.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

3.1     The council could decide that it does not require a Health and Safety Strategy. However the council’s most valuable resource is the workforce and elected members and it is important that there is a framework to ensure that there is a framework for protection and prevention of injury and to promote good health and to ensure that health and safety risks for the public are identified and mitigated appropriately.

3.2     The council may choose to refresh the Health and Safety Strategy but arrive at a different set of priorities to those in the attached draft.

4.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1     The attached draft Health and Safety Strategy reflects the views of the Health and Safety Committee and are aligned to the national agenda.

5.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

5.1     The Health and Safety Strategy was developed with input from the Health and Safety Committee and trades unions.

5.2     Input has been received from the wider leadership team.

6.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

6.1     The Strategy and associated action plan will be monitored by the Health and Safety Committee and regularly reported to CLT.

6.2     The Strategy will be published on the intranet once agreed and communicated to staff.

7.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

8.        REPORT APPENDICES

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

·         Appendix I: Draft Health and Safety Strategy

·         Appendix II: Equality Impact Assessment

9.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

None