The Council is recommended to approve the Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2019/20. (Report attached, minute to follow in supplement)

The third matter requiring consideration was in relation to a request to approve the recommendation of the Employment and Appointments Committee of 5 March 2019 that the Pay Policy Statement 2019/20 be approved. (Minute 25 refers).

Councillor Lesley Rennie sought clarification on the issue of pay multiples, which had been discussed at the meeting. The Director of Governance and Assurance referred to the final paragraph of minute 25, which stated that the Head of Human Resources would be bringing a report back to the Employment and Appointments Committee at the earliest opportunity on the subject of pay multiples and benchmarking with other local authorities.

On a motion by Councillor Adrian Jones, seconded by Councillor Angela Davies, it was –

Resolved (61:0) (One abstention) – That the recommendation contained within minute 25 of the Employment and Appointments Committee, 26 February 2019, be approved.

Tony Williams, Head of Human Resources introduced the report of the Director of Change and Organisational Design that set out information on the Council’s Pay Policy, to provide transparency with regard to the Council’s approach to setting pay identifying:

• the methods by which salaries of all employees are determined;

• the detail and level of the salary package of its most senior staff; and

• the Head of Paid Service’s responsibility for ensuring the provisions set out in the statement were applied consistently throughout the Council, recommending any amendments to Full Council.

The report highlighted that the Council was required to prepare and approve its Pay Policy Statement 2019/2020 before 31 March 2019, and that the Council will be at risk of not meeting the requirements of The Localism Act 2011 if this was not achieved.

The report also informed that Council operated all pay arrangements within the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and that all pay arrangement were regularly reviewed and assessed to identify any equality issues (the subject of a separate report to the Employment and Appointments Committee, Minute 27 post refers).

Members discussed a number of key areas within the report, namely variations to pay grades (taking into account external pay levels in the labour market) and pay ratios between the lowest paid employees and Chief Officers and the Chief Executive. Members requested that this information be collated and reported back to the Committee at the earliest opportunity.

Members also questioned the current cost of termination payments and when this particular subject area had last been reviewed. The Head of Human Resources agreed to investigate and report back to Members. 

The Head of Human Resources informed the Committee that in addition to consultation on the Council’s Pay Policy with Trade Unions, a specific Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) was also produced and shared with Trade Unions - relating to the implementation of NJC pay award for 2019/20.

Members re-iterated the request that the Head of Human Resources bring back a further report to the Committee at the earliest opportunity, on the subject of pay multiples and benchmarking with other Local Authorities, and general guidance from the Local Government Association (LGA) or Department for Local Government (DCLG), if available.

Resolved – That

(1)  the introduction of the National Joint Council (NJC) redesigned pay spine which includes the National Living Wage rate of £9 per hour, effective from 1 April 2019, be agreed; and

(2)  it be recommended to Council that the Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2019/20 be approved.