To seek comments on proposed arrangements for an increased pay award for teachers.

The HR services manager presented the report. 

It was noted that the proposed teachers’ pay award went across all the pay reference points for teachers.    The purpose of the report was to seek the views of the panel of a pay award to all the different pay points within the four pay ranges so that all teachers receive the same pay increase (within each pay range) as the Department for Education (DfE) pay award covered minima and maxima points of the pay ranges only.  It was further noted that the vast majority of teachers within Herefordshire do not sit on on the minimum and maximum points.

During the discussion it was noted that:

·         The government had anticipated that schools would budget for a 1% increase and  and therefore the DfE would fund the additional cost, details of which would be announced.

·         Herefordshire schools had been advise to budget for a 2% increase across all reference pay and allowance points. 

·         The Herefordshire financial modelling had been done on the actual numbers of teachers on each pay point whereas the DfE financial modelling was on pupil numbers.   In this particular scenario, it was noted that Herefordshire would receive a bonus of approx. £18k for pupils that do not exist in the system as schools with pupil numbers between 41 and 99 would be funded on the basis of 100 pupils.  The proposals covered centrally employed teaching staff although DfE had advised that there would be no funding to cover the national pay award for centrally employed teachers.  

·         There were no cost implications for the council as schools are responsible for their own budgets.  However, there was a cost implication with regard to centrally employed teachers.

·         The 2018/19 pay award was included within the figures provided to the panel.    

·         Other councils were implementing the same enhanced pay award and it would be better in this instance to be line with other authorities to prevent recruitment and retention issues.  

RESOLVED

(a)       A 3.5% increase for teachers on all scale points (except minima and maxima points as part of national agreement) within the unqualified and main pay ranges with effect from 1^st September 2018;

(b)       A 2% increase for teachers on all scale points (except minima and maxima points as part of the national agreement) within the upper pay range with effect from 1^st September 2018;

(c)       A 1.5% increase for teachers on all scale points (except minima and maxima points of each school size group as part of the national agreement) within the leadership range with effect from 1^st September 2018.