To consider the report on the Council’s Pay Policy.

Report of the Head of Human Resources and Development

Contact: Michele Leith        Tel: 01743 254402

Councillor C Mellings left the Chamber during consideration of this item.

It was proposed by the Leader, Councillor P Nutting, and seconded by the Deputy Leader, Councillor S Charmley, that the report of the Head of Human Resources and Development, a copy of which is attached to the signed Minutes, be received and agreed.

The Leader, Councillor P Nutting, commented that the Council’s staff were its best asset and should be duly rewarded.

Councillor A Boddington proposed the following amendment, duly seconded by Councillor H Fraser:

“ That paragraph 2 of the report be amended to read as,

i)             That full Council consider and approve amendments to the Pay and Reward Policy to ensure that staff move to NJC negotiated pay rates by October 2018, where those apply;

ii)            That full Council agrees that any increase in Senior Pay Scales be limited to the average percentage rise agreed for other Council employees through the NJC”’

In seconding the amendment, Councillor H Fraser recognised that a pay rise to staff was very welcome and long overdue but stated that she could not support the significant percentage pay increase to senior grades when other staff had a significantly lower percentage increase. 

Councillor D Minnery, Portfolio Holder for Finance, drew attention to paragraph 3.5 of the report which detailed the different avenue for negotiating Senior pay through the Joint Negotiating Committee for Chief Officers of Local Authorities (JNC). 

In bringing the debate to a close, the Leader, Councillor P Nutting, added that the proposed Senior pay rates had been the subject of consultation with the LGA and lay just below the median range of pay rates for executives working at that level.  He concluded that the payment of NJC rates to most staff was needed in order to attract the right calibre of staff.  The Deputy Leader agreed that the Council’s staff should be fairly paid in recognition of their work; a fair wage needed to be paid in order to both attract and retain the right calibre of staff.

A recorded vote was requested and duly agreed. On being put to the vote, the recommendation within the report was agreed as follows:

RESOLVED:

FOR (51)

Councillors N Bardsley, J Barrow, G Butler, K Calder, D Carroll, L Chapman, S Charmley,

T Clarke, S Davenport, J Dean, P Dee, D Evans, R Gittins, S Harris, A Hartley, N Hignett,

R Hughes, V Hunt, I Jones, M Jones, S Jones, N Laurens, C Lea, E Lynch, R Macey, P Milner,

D Minnery, D Morris, P Moseley, A Mosley, C Motley, P Mullock, P Nutting, K Pardy, W Parr,

T Parsons, M Pate, L Picton, E Potter, K Roberts, M Shineton, R Tindall, D Tremellen, K Turley,

D Turner, C Wild, B Williams, L Winwood, M Wood, T Woodward, P Wynn

AGAINST (10)

A Boddington, R Evans, H Fraser, N Green, N Hartin, R Huffer, J Keeley, H Kidd, V Parry,

D Vasmer

That the amendments to the Pay and Reward Policy be approved as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.