Further to minute 67 (18 November 2010), the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management presented a detailed analysis on the payment of allowances and enhancements to employees, in addition to basic salary. He commented that the pay and conditions for local authority employees were detailed in the Green Book: National Agreement on Pay and Conditions of Service for Local Government Services, which contained the key national and local provisions and included nationally and locally agreed allowance payments. In addition, a number of the Part 3 (local) arrangements had been agreed as part of the harmonisation of terms and conditions in August 2008.

He commented also upon measures introduced in 2010/2011 to reduce employee pay costs and indicated that the 2011/2012 budget assumed reductions of £300,000 in car mileage and £250,000 in non-contractual payments due to voluntary leavers. He reported that the review of employee pay costs was a project within the Strategic Change Programme and, in response to a question from a Member, he indicated that its main purpose was to identify where payments could be changed, altered or stopped. However, it was not intended to deny allowances to members of staff who were entitled to them.

Resolved –

(1)  That the range, detail and comparisons of allowances and enhancements which are paid over and above employee salaries and which are therefore within the scope of this review, be noted.

(2)  That the review of employee pay costs being a project within the Strategic Change Programme, be noted.