Decision details

Pay Policy Statement 2015/16

Decision status: For Determination

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decisions:

Councillor Phil Davies introduced a report by the Strategic Director Transformation and Resources that recommended to Council: That

 

(a)  the starting salary of the Chief Executive within agreed salary range as already approved by the Council at its meeting on 8 December 2014; and

 

(b)  the approval of the Council’s Pay Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2015/16.

 

The Strategic Director’s report informed the Cabinet that the Localism Act 2011 had set out the requirements for Councils to determine and publish annual pay policy statements.  The requirements under the Act included: That

 

·  the Pay Policy Statement be approved by the Council, in advance of the Financial Year to which it related; and

 

·  the Pay Policy Statement be published on the Council’s website.

 

The Cabinet noted that the Pay Policy Statement was required to set out the Council’s policies in relation to the following:

 

·  Chief Officers’ Remuneration, including salary, allowances and enhancements at termination.

 

·  Remuneration of its lowest paid employees.

 

·  The relationship between Chief Officers’ Remuneration and that of other employees.

 

The Pay Policy Statement was attached to the Strategic Director’s report as Appendix 1 for the Cabinet’s consideration with a request that it be recommended for approval when it was presented to the Council at its meeting scheduled for 16 March 2015.

 

The Cabinet was informed that the Department for Communities and Local Government had made some recommendations to revise the code on data transparency and there has been national consultation on this. If approved, this could mean changes to the Pay Policy Statement.  In that event the Council would receive an update of the changes made at its meeting. 

 

The Cabinet was also informed that the Pay Policy could be amended by a resolution of the Council.  This included in-year amendments.

 

The Cabinet noted that the 2015/16 Statement reflected key changes and updates that had occurred within the last financial Year as follows:

 

·  The implementation of nationally agreed pay awards.  (Paragraph 3.5 of the Pay Policy Statement.)  (Final confirmation of the 2014/15 pay award for JNC Youth and Community and the Soulbury Committee were awaited.)

 

·  The changes agreed at the Council meeting held on 8 December 2014 to the salary of the Chief Executive (Paragraph 4.3 of the Pay Policy Statement).

 

·  The annual increase of the Living Wage rate and application of the Living Wage to all employees, including apprentices (Paragraph 3.14 of the Pay Policy Statement).

 

·  Links to the Local Government Transparency Code 2014.  The purpose of the Pay Policy was to provide transparency in the Council’s approach to setting the pay of its employees. The purpose of The Transparency Code was to provide access to data for local people in respect of information relating to the Council, including senior salaries and organisational structure.

 

The Strategic Director’s report reminded the Cabinet that the Chief Executive’s salary had been reviewed as part of the recent recruitment process and that the Council had agreed, at its meeting on 8 December 2014, that the salary of the Chief Executive would be within a range of £155- £175k.

 

At its meeting on 24 February 2015, the Council had confirmed the appointment of the Chief Executive and it was now proposed that the new Chief Executive commence his employment on £165k, with annual incremental progression through the range.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Council be recommended to approve:

 

(1)  that the Chief Executive ‘s starting salary be £165k which is within the salary range already agreed, with annual increments of £5k to the top of the salary range; and

 

(2)  that the Council’s Pay Policy Statement 2015/16 as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

Publication date: 25/03/2015

Date of decision: 12/03/2015

Decided at meeting: 12/03/2015 - Cabinet

Effective from: 02/04/2015

Accompanying Documents: