Agenda item

This item came to be considered as the last item shortly before 10.00pm, which is the cut off point for business to be adjourned unless otherwise agreed. Standing Orders were therefore suspended for the meeting to continue after 10.00pm to allow for a full debate and consideration.

The Chief Financial Officer noted that this report followed a budget report to the Policy, Finance and Development Committee in February, which highlighted a review of salaries for senior managers. He noted that a thorough benchmarking exercise had taken place, which had identified a vast range of levels of remuneration for senior managers at other authorities and also took into account additional levels of statutory responsibility.

The report now proposed three new management “spot” grades as set out in the report. Each Head of Service’s post would be evaluated using the Job Evaluation scheme and placed onto the appropriate grade accordingly. The report also proposed a new Band 11 in the Council’s salary scales, which would recognise those employees who were not quite at Head of Service level but would allow for flexibility and give them something to aspire to.

The Chief Financial Officer commented that this review of senior mangers salaries was important for recruitment and retention purposes and it has been carried out objectively. He confirmed that it could be funded from within the existing salary budget and added that consultation would be carried out with the Unions and that an Equality Impact Assessment be undertaken to consider equal pay issues.

He went on to explain that the previous report had proposed a start date of 1 April 2014, but that the revised recommendation is a start date of 1 January 2014.

Members agreed that this review was important to ensure that the correct candidates are recruited to the vacant Heads of Service posts. They also acknowledged the hard work of the two remaining Heads of Service and praised them for their work particularly given their substantial workloads.

Members accepted the first two recommendations as being necessary and fair; however, they did not agree with the third recommendation.

They noted that the review was being undertaken as a result of commercial market forces and although they acknowledged the hard work and effort of the two remaining Heads of Service since coming into post some time ago they did not feel it appropriate to backdate the pay as they were asking other Officers to forgo pay rises. They added that Heads of Service should receive equal treatment, but that out of fairness to other Officers the pay should not be backdated to January, but it was right and fair for commercial market rates to apply to their posts.

They concluded that it was reasonable to pay these revised rates from 1 April 2014, and moved and seconded accordingly.

Members asked what the approximate cost of the increase in the salaries would be and the Chief Financial Officer explained that this would depend on which “spot” grade each Head of Service was placed on and how many Heads of Service there are.

RESOLVED: That, subject to consultation with the Trade Unions, Members approved, in principle:

(1)  A further 3 Management Level grades as “spot” salaries for Heads of Service, of £55,000, £60,000 and £65,000, as a result of benchmarking with comparable Local Authorities;

(2)  An additional pay Band 11 ranging from £40,254 - £42,032, to address the pat deferential between Band 10 and the first increment of Management Level; and

(3)  The implementation date of any salary increases are to be effective from 1 April 2014.