Councillor Phil Davies introduced a report by the Head of Neighbourhoods and Engagement which updated the Cabinet on the latest activity that the Council was driving to harness the positive economic benefits the Living Wage could bring.

The Cabinet was reminded that in 2013, the Council was one of the first local authorities in the country to become a Living Wage Employer.  In addition, Council policy aimed to ensure that new social care contractors were required to follow the Council’s ethical care charter and fair wage approach.

Members noted that the Council was now committed to building on this activity, and would be working with employers and partners in Wirral to encourage them to pay the Living Wage to all their employees.  The report outlined the approach and additional actions to be taken in order that Wirral could become a Living Wage Borough.

Councillor Phil Davies reported that the Council saw this as a key priority for addressing inequalities in the Borough.  He informed that on 4 April 2014 the Council had jointly hosted a regional Living Wage Summit with the North West Trades Union Congress at the Floral Pavilion which had been attended by prominent businesses, MPs and Councillors from across the North West.  Nigel Hughes, Chief Executive at YMCA Wirral, who was an accredited local Living Wage Employer along with a member of his staff, who now received the Living Wage, had talked about the positive impact this had made and had demonstrated the difference that paying the Living Wage rate of £7.65 per hour could make to employees.  Key speakers at this Summit had also included Paul Novak, Assistant General Secretary of the TUC, Frank Field MP and the Mayor of Salford, Councillor Ian Stewart.  They had spoken about the positive impact associated with the implementation of the Living Wage.

It was noted that he Council had also made a commitment to ensure that new contracts for social care providers demonstrated they would follow the Council’s ethical care charter and fair wage approach which asked providers, among other requirements, not to employ staff on zero hours contracts.  The Council was now committed to becoming a Living Wage Borough through working with employers and partners in Wirral to encourage them to pay the Living Wage to their employees.

The Council was committed to building on this existing activity, and a detailed plan was now being developed which would set out the proposed actions that would take place in order to achieve the ultimate aim of becoming a Living Wage Borough.  This included:

·  The Council applying for accreditation as a Living Wage Employer.

·  Through the Public Service Board, co-ordinating work with public sector partners to support them to become Living Wage organisations.

·  Working with the Chamber of Commerce, Invest Wirral and local businesses and employers in Wirral to raise awareness of the Living Wage and encouraging them to pay the Living Wage to their employees.

·  Building on the key role that the voluntary, community and faith sectors had to play in this campaign.

·  Reviewing procurement, contract and best value policies to ensure that, as far as possible within UK and EU law, the Living Wage was the minimum paid to contracted staff as well.

The Chief Executive reported that the Public Service Board that represented all public bodies in Wirral had been discussing the Living Wage and had established a working group to pull together the good practice of all public bodies paying the Living Wage.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the current activity taking place to increased awareness and adoption of the Living Wage amongst Wirral partners be noted; and

(2)  the proposed actions to move Wirral towards becoming a Living Wage Borough be approved.