Agenda item

To consider a report by the HR Manager and Pay and Reward Specialist (copy attached) to seek approval for the Pay Policy Statement.

The Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services introduced the Pay Policy Statement 2022/23 (previously circulated) as the HR Manager, Louise Dougal, was unable to attend the meeting.

The Localism Act 2011 required local authorities to prepare pay policy statements. These statements must articulate an authority’s own policies towards a range of issues relating to the pay of its workforce particularly its senior staff (or “chief officers”) and its lowest paid employees. Pay Policy Statements had to be approved by the Council on an annual basis, and published on the relevant website.

The Pay Policy had been updated with the 2021/22 Pay Award as the 2022/23 was yet to be agreed.

It was confirmed that the pay points were set nationally and the council had its own pay and grading structure which had grades within the pay spine.  The grades were determined by job evaluations which had a set of criteria and awarded points to jobs for the different requirements of the job.  The points total equated to a grade on the national pay spine.  The job evaluation scheme was effectively the way the council ensured that pay was approached equally in terms of equalities.  Trade Union representatives were involved in the Panel for evaluation of posts.

In terms of increases in pay on an annual basis, those were negotiated nationally through the Joint Negotiating Council and the Councils policy was that they abide by and honour any nationally agreed pay award.

In respect of Chief Officers the council set up a Senior Leadership Remuneration Panel which was a politically balanced body, and they reviewed the senior leadership pay structure in 2016.  Thereafter, they reviewed the pay structure annually to see whether or not it is still appropriate.  The Senior Leadership Remuneration Panel did not make decisions, they made recommendations and any changes had to be presented at Full Council. 

PROPOSED by Councillor Brian Blakeley, SECONDED by Councillor Huw Williams.

RESOLVED that Council agree the recommendation from the Senior Leadership Remuneration Panel to the changes to the Pay Policy for 2022/23 (copy in Appendix A)