Issue - meetings

To consider the recommendations from the Staffing Committee.

Consideration was given to the recommendations of the Staffing Committee in respect of the Pay Policy Statement for 2021/22.

The Staffing Committee, at its meeting on 21 January 2021, had considered the draft Pay Policy Statement and resolved that Council be recommended to the approve and publish the Pay Policy Statement 2021/22 and delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to make any necessary in-year amendments to the Statement.

Councillor C Bulman, Chair of Staffing Committee, referred to The Restrictions of Public Sector Exit Payments Regulations 2020, which had come into effect on 4 November 2020 and introduced a £95,000 cap on exit payments.  Cllr Bulman reported that the Government had agreed that the cap may have unintended consequences and that the Treasury had ruled that it would disapply the regulations with immediate effect and therefore the cap would no longer apply.  As a result of this the Monitoring Officer would be asked to amend the Pay Policy Statement accordingly.

RESOLVED: That

1          the Pay Policy Statement for 2021/22 be approved and published accordingly; and

2          the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make any necessary in year amendments and any further changes required to the Statement.

To consider a report on the Pay Policy Statement for 2021/22 and make a recommendation to Council for approval and publication.

The Committee considered a report on the Draft Pay Policy Statement for 2021/22.

The Council was required under section 38 of the Localism Act 2011 to produce a Pay Policy Statement by 31 March on an annual basis.

The Statement for 2021/22 followed the style and format of last year’s statement.  Several changes had been made to the Pay Policy since last year and these were detailed in section 6.4 of the report.

There would be some in-year changes required to be made to the Pay Policy Statement to reflect the Council’s move to the committee system form of governance and the outcome of the ongoing consultations with the trade unions on pay matters.  To enable this to happen approval for authority for the Monitoring Officer to make in-year changes was being sought.

Discussions were being undertaken on whether a ‘green’ car salary sacrifice scheme could be introduced as this would be more in line with the Council’s climate change ambitions. 

It was reported that the £150,000 publication figure for senior employees identified by name was in accordance with the Local Government Transparency Code 2015.

RESOLVED: That Council

1          be recommended to approve and publish the Pay Policy Statement for 2021/22; and

2          delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to make any necessary in year amendments to the Statement.