Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development enclosed.

That the Council approve the Pay Policy Statement for 2012/13, acknowledging that there is work in progress to achieve a complete set of pay and reward arrangements which will be reflected in subsequent Pay Policy Statements.

The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development introduced a report to seek approval of the Council’s Pay Policy Statement, to be effective from 1 April, 2012.

            Pay Policy Statements must be produced and published on an annual basis in advance of the beginning of each financial year.  The first Pay Policy Statements were required to commence on 1 April, 2012 for the forthcoming financial year 2012/2013.  The provisions of the Localism Act 2011 bring together the need for increasing accountability, transparency and fairness in the setting of local pay which would enable the tax payer to understand and access information on remuneration levels across all groups of Council employees.  If approved, the Pay Policy Statement would be made available on the Council’s website.

            Councillor A.P. Shotton asked whether the Pay Policy could be affected by changes to regional pay by the National Government.  He also questioned the ratio between the highest earner and lowest earner.  The Chief Executive indicated that regional pay was a complex constitutional issue.  The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development explained that the ratio between the highest earner and the lowest earner was 12 to 1, but in line with the Localism Act 2011 this was calculated against the medium earner which gave a ratio of 6 to 1.         

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RESOLVED:

That the Council approve the Pay Policy Statement for 2012/2013, acknowledging that there is work in progress to achieve a complete set of pay and reward arrangements which will be reflected in subsequent Pay Policy Statements.