Proposed by Councillor Jeff Green

Seconded by Councillor Lesley Rennie

Council notes:

(1)  That the previous Labour Government brought this country to the brink of bankruptcy doubled the national debt and left us with the biggest budget deficit in our peacetime history.

(2)  That as a country we have to spend more than £120 million every single day just to pay off the interest on Labour’s debt and this is in fact Labour’s true legacy.

(3)  The previous Council coalition administration listened to Wirral residents and delivered a budget that saved £52 million, invested in economic development and child protection, protected key services, delivered a zero percent Council Tax increase leaving Council balances of £14 million and reduced the Council’s debt by £10 million.

(4)  That despite having to make difficult decisions to achieve this, provision was made, and the Council’s current budget contains, £800,000 specifically to ensure that the Council’s lowest paid workers receive a £250 non consolidated pay increase.

Council believes that the current increase in global commodity prices is having a real impact on the price of groceries and fuel.

Council thanks our better paid staff for their understanding and acceptance of the need for a public sector pay freeze, due to the previous Labour Government’s profligacy and debt, however, in the interest of fairness, wishes to assist those who earn the least and are often impacted the most when commodity and other prices rise.

Council therefore insists:

(1)  As a matter of urgency all required action is taken by the current Labour Administration to ensure the Council honours the implied bargain of a general public sector pay freeze with a £250 payment to those employed by the Council and earning below £21,000 per year.

(2)  A report is provided to all members of the Council informing us of the progress of discussions with staff representatives and when this payment will be made

(3)  Subject to agreement with the Director of Law, HR & Asset management, the content of this resolution is communicated to all staff.

Amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7(2):

Proposed by Councillor Adrian Jones

Seconded by Councillor Denise Roberts

Delete all after “Council notes:” replace with:

(1)  That the budget deficit experienced by this country is a direct result of reckless decisions taken by a global banking industry which required decisive action by the Labour government in order to protect the savings of ordinary people and prevent a thirties style depression.

(2)  Council believes that ordinary people are now being asked to pay the price of bailing out the bankers while bonuses continue to flourish in the city.

(3)  Council recognises that the pay freeze imposed on local government workers by the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition impacts most severely on lower paid workers, particularly at a time when the economy is stalling and prices are rising as a consequence of an ill thought out attempt to cut the deficit too rapidly.

(4)  Council also notes that the potential for a flat rate pay increase of £250 to low paid staff formed part of the national pay negotiations for local authority staff and that a provision of £800,000 was set aside in the budget to meet any such pay rise, should it be agreed nationally.

(5)  Council further notes that the national negotiations have now concluded and the Local Authority Employers have reported that no pay rise has been agreed.

(6)  Council recognises that the payment of any non consolidated amount, outside the national agreement, would constitute a local agreement, which would require extensive consultation with the union on a number of issues, and that any decision taken on low paid staff within the Council would also impact on non teaching staff in schools on the same terms and conditions.

(7)  Council further notes that schools are committed to paying national agreements, but not necessarily local agreements and that the amount within the Council’s General Fund does not cover the additional schools cost, which would be £621,000 in ongoing revenue costs, which has not been budgeted for.

(8)  Council also notes that no North West Employer has paid this increase.

(9)  Council therefore believes that the implications of any such decision to negotiate a local agreement, in addition to the national agreement, would need to be seriously considered in the proper manner, and within the overall budgetary context, and that a politically motivated Council Notice of Motion is not the appropriate way to formulate a local agreement.”

Amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7(2):

Proposed by Councillor Stuart Kelly

Seconded by Councillor Dave Mitchell

After ‘Council notes’ add additional paragraph (5):

(5)  Council also supports the concept of a living wage for workers http://www.citizensuk.org/campaigns/living-wage-campaign/ and notes that 48 employees of the council earn below the £7.20/hour which is considered a living wage, including apprentices, bar assistants and leisure coaches.

After ‘Council therefore insists’ add new paragraph (3):

(3)  Council asks Cabinet to make arrangements to bring those council employees earning below £7.20/hour up to living wage levels and that contractors supplying public services are also asked to ensure they pay a living wage.

Renumber existing paragraph (3) as (4).

Following a debate and Councillor Green having replied, Councillor Green along with five Conservative Members, asked that a ‘card vote’ be recorded.

The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management informed the Council that in accordance with Standing Order 18 (7) a ‘Card Vote’ could not be taken, as Standing Order 7 (8) was now in force.

On a motion by Councillor Green, seconded by Councillor Rowlands, it was –

Resolved (35:28) (One abstention) – That Standing Order 18 (7) be suspended for this motion.

The amendment proposed by Councillor A Jones was put and the Council divided as follows:

For the amendment (28) - Councillors RL Abbey, JA Crabtree, G Davies, PL Davies, WJ Davies, D Dodd, P Doughty, S Foulkes, P Glasman, P Hackett, AER Jones, C Jones, BM Kenny, ARC McLachlan, CM Meaden, B Mooney, SAM Niblock, DE Realey, DE Roberts, J Salter, H Smith, PA Smith, WW Smith, J Stapleton, J Walsh, S Whittingham, I Williams, KJ Williams. 

Against the amendment (35) - Councillors T Anderson, C Blakeley, E Boult, A Bridson, A Brighouse, SL Clarke, W Clements, T Cox, DM Elderton, GJ Ellis, PN Gilchrist, JE Green, J Hale, T Harney, P Hayes, AC Hodson, M Hornby, PSC Johnson, P Kearney, J Keeley, SE Kelly, I Lewis, D McCubbin, GD Mitchell, SR Mountney, C Povall, Mrs LA Rennie, SL Rowlands, A Sykes, S Taylor, GCJ Watt, R Wilkins, Mrs P Williams, S Williams and Mrs K Wood.

Abstentions (1) – Councillor M McLaughlin

Councillor Green’s motion, incorporating Councillor Kelly’s amendment which he agreed to accept as a friendly amendment, was then put to the vote and the Council divided as follows:

For the motion (35) - Councillors T Anderson, C Blakeley, E Boult, A Bridson, A Brighouse, SL Clarke, W Clements, T Cox, DM Elderton, GJ Ellis, PN Gilchrist, JE Green, J Hale, T Harney, P Hayes, AC Hodson, M Hornby, PSC Johnson, P Kearney, J Keeley, SE Kelly, I Lewis, D McCubbin, GD Mitchell, SR Mountney, C Povall, Mrs LA Rennie, SL Rowlands, A Sykes, S Taylor, GCJ Watt, R Wilkins, Mrs P Williams, S Williams and Mrs K Wood.

Against the motion (28) - Councillors RL Abbey, JA Crabtree, G Davies, PL Davies, WJ Davies, D Dodd, P Doughty, S Foulkes, P Glasman, P Hackett, AER Jones, C Jones, BM Kenny, ARC McLachlan, CM Meaden, B Mooney, SAM Niblock, DE Realey, DE Roberts, J Salter, H Smith, PA Smith, WW Smith, J Stapleton, J Walsh, S Whittingham, I Williams, KJ Williams. 

Abstentions (1) – Councillor M McLaughlin

Resolved -

Council notes:

(1)  That the previous Labour Government brought this country to the brink of bankruptcy doubled the national debt and left us with the biggest budget deficit in our peacetime history.

(2)  That as a country we have to spend more than £120 million every single day just to pay off the interest on Labour’s debt and this is in fact Labour’s true legacy.

(3)  The previous Council coalition administration listened to Wirral residents and delivered a budget that saved £52 million, invested in economic development and child protection, protected key services, delivered a zero percent Council Tax increase leaving Council balances of £14 million and reduced the Council’s debt by £10 million.

(4)  That despite having to make difficult decisions to achieve this, provision was made, and the Council’s current budget contains, £800,000 specifically to ensure that the Council’s lowest paid workers receive a £250 non consolidated pay increase.

(5)  Council also supports the concept of a living wage for workers http://www.citizensuk.org/campaigns/living-wage-campaign/ and notes that 48 employees of the council earn below the £7.20/hour which is considered a living wage, including apprentices, bar assistants and leisure coaches.

Council believes that the current increase in global commodity prices is having a real impact on the price of groceries and fuel.

Council thanks our better paid staff for their understanding and acceptance of the need for a public sector pay freeze, due to the previous Labour Government’s profligacy and debt, however, in the interest of fairness, wishes to assist those who earn the least and are often impacted the most when commodity and other prices rise.

Council therefore insists:

(1)  As a matter of urgency all required action is taken by the current Labour Administration to ensure the Council honours the implied bargain of a general public sector pay freeze with a £250 payment to those employed by the Council and earning below £21,000 per year.

(2)  A report is provided to all members of the Council informing us of the progress of discussions with staff representatives and when this payment will be made

(3)  Council asks Cabinet to make arrangements to bring those council employees earning below £7.20/hour up to living wage levels and that contractors supplying public services are also asked to ensure they pay a living wage.

(4)  Subject to agreement with the Director of Law, HR & Asset management, the content of this resolution is communicated to all staff.

The motion having been carried, advice was sought from the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management in relation to the implementation of this decision. He advised the Council that as £800,000 was already in the Council budget to fund this measure, his expectation was that this decision of the Council would be implemented.

The Leader of the Council expressed the view that it was wrong for the Council to be making budget decisions on an ad hoc basis, especially as no formal negotiations had been held with the trades unions on this matter nor had the full budgetary implications been considered in relation to this motion.