Members are asked to consider whether they have personal or prejudicial interests in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state what they are.

Members of the Committee were requested to declare whether they had an interest, either personal or prejudicial, in any item on the agenda and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest.

No such declarations were made.

The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management submitted a report, in accordance with Section 38 of The Localism Act 2011, which required Councils to determine and publish annual pay policy statements.

The draft statutory guidance on The Localism Act 2011 recommended that a Committee be given responsibility to coordinate a collective review of the appropriateness of the Pay Policy Statement at least annually, and to make recommendation to the Full Council.

The requirements of the Act included:

1. The Pay Policy statement to be approved by The Full Council, in advance of the financial year to which it relates.
2. The first Pay Policy Statement to be prepared for 2012/13.
3. The Pay Policy Statement to be published on the Council website.

The Pay Policy Statement was required to set out the Council’s policies relating to the following:

1. Chief Officer remuneration, including salary, allowances, and enhancements at termination.
2. Remuneration of its lowest paid employees.
3. The relationship between Chief Officer remuneration and that of other employees.

Responding to comments from Members, the Head of HR and Organisational Development referring to the paragraphs in the policy on the relationship between Chief Officer remuneration and that of other employees, this would be shown as the multiple between the lowest paid employee and average Chief Officer earnings and those of the average full time equivalent earnings and the Chief Executive. The Council would use the local government norm as a standard so that benchmarking would be like for like. The figure for the multiple between the lowest paid and the Chief Executive could also be published if it was felt to be useful.

In line with guidance under The Localism Act, proposed appointments to posts with remuneration exceeding £100,000 would be subject to a vote at Full Council and the Head of HR and Organisational Development would confirm whether or not this was a requirement or guidance.

Concern was also expressed about contractors employed by the Council paying a living wage too. 

On a motion by Councillor Johnston, jointly seconded by Councillors Green and A Jones, it was agreed unanimously that the following be added to the recommendation -

‘That Wirral Council become an advocate of a living wage.’

The Leader of the Council requested that a report be brought to an early Cabinet on what being an advocate of a living wage would entail.

Resolved – That this Committee:

(1)   notes the Council’s Pay Policy Statement 2012/13.

(2)   recommends to Council, for approval, the Council’s Pay Policy Statement 2012/13.

(3)  notes that the proposed introduction of the Living Wage is included within the Council’s Pay Policy Statement 2012/13.

(4)  notes the responsibility of the Employment and Appointments Committee to ensure the provisions set out in the Pay Policy are applied consistently throughout the Council, and recommend any amendments to the Full Council.

(5)  approves that Wirral Council become an advocate of a living wage.

With the agreement of the Chair, the Committee considered the following item of urgent business, in view of the need for a decision prior to the next meeting of the Committee.

The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management submitted a report on the Senior Management capacity structure in the Department of Adult Social Services (DASS) which addressed the requirement for a Head of Safeguarding and Care Governance. Cabinet on 13 February 2012 had considered a report on the DASS management structure. On working through the specific details there was an immediate and urgent need to review the safeguarding capacity across Adult Social Services and the Children and Young People’s Department (CYPD).

Currently the Joint Head of Safeguarding was a shared position between DASS and CYPD at a Head of Service level. The joint role had enabled the sharing of good practice, expertise and stabilised the position in DASS. However, there were significant further improvements to be put in place and the joint arrangements were no longer sustainable. The report gave details of the proposed role of Head of Safeguarding and Care Governance in DASS which would require an additional resource of £36,676 plus on costs.

Resolved -

(1)  That the post of Head of Branch – Safeguarding Adults and Children (0.5 in DASS) is deleted and the post of Head of Safeguarding and Care Governance is created as a full time position in DASS.

(2)  That the Safeguarding and Care Governance Branch will take responsibility not only for safeguarding but also a more cohesive role including Contracts’ management and monitoring along with broader Quality Assurance responsibility including the management of the social care provider market.

(3)  That the post of Head of Safeguarding and Care Governance is advertised on a permanent basis and the recruitment process be commenced with the appointment of a proportionate Sub-Committee.

(4)  That the Directors of DASS and CYPD backfill the Safeguarding function with interim support to ensure they are resourced appropriately pending permanent full time post-holders being in place.

(5)  That the current Joint Head of Safeguarding post-holder will return to the full time Head of Safeguarding in CYPD and that she be thanked for all her work whilst in the joint role.