To approve the pay policy statement 2022.

Council considered a report by the chairperson of the employment panel to approve the pay policy statement for 2022.

The report and recommendation was moved by the Leader (as chairperson of the employment panel) and seconded by the cabinet member for environment and economy (as vice-chairperson of the employment panel).

The pay policy statement was put to the vote and approved by a simple majority.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  the pay policy statement at appendix A is approved for publication.

To recommend the 2022 pay policy statement to Full Council for approval and publication.

The assistant director, people introduced the report. The panel heard that the annual pay policy statement set out a record of policies currently in place and did not introduce or set new policy. The panel had previously requested that information on the gender pay gap be included with the statement and this would be added to the final version presented to Council for approval.

The pay awards for 2021 and 2022 had not yet been made. The lowest two points on the pay scale set out in the table in appendix A risked falling below the national minimum wage in April if no announcements were made on the pending pay awards by then. However there were no staff currently employed on those lowest points.

The panel discussed the draft statement. It was proposed that the council should adopt the national living wage as the minimum pay grade. It was agreed that the chief executive be asked to explore the implications for the council, including the impact on local authority maintained schools and on council suppliers. This would be brought back to a future meeting of the panel.

It was resolved that:

(a) The pay policy statement at appendix A is recommended to Full Council, subject to the inclusion of information on the gender pay gap.