Agenda item

CAB26:                       Staff pay award 2023-24

CAB28:                       Appointment of representatives to inquorate parishes

CAB30 and 32:           Local Authority Housing Fund – Round 2

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Councillor Parish proposed the recommendations from Cabinet on 1 August 2023 separately.  These were seconded by Councillor Moriarty.

 

CAB26:                       Staff Pay Award 2023-24

 

Councillor Joyce proposed the following amendments to CAB26:

 

1b) For those earning up to and including the equivalent of £38,500, a flat rate non-consolidated cost-of-living payment of £750pa (pro rata for part time employees) to be paid to all permanent employees and temporary staff (with a contract specifying a duration of 12 months or more) who were in post on 1st April 2023; with an amount tapering from £750 down to zero to be paid to those earning between £38,501 and £53,500; and for those earning £53,501 or above to not receive any of the non-consolidated amount. This payment to be paid in 12 monthly instalments with effect from April 2023.

 

c) Refer the following to the next Corporate Performance Panel for further investigation: The top points of all grades (not individual salaries) are increased by the maximum applicable percentage increase (10.38%) with effect from 1st October 2023. This will not have an immediate financial impact but will assist with future recruitment and retention.

 

Councillor Joyce spoke in support of his amendment explaining that he felt the amendment would assist with the recruitment and retention of staff.  He considered that senior staff would prefer to lose the one off £750 payment in order to pay the lower paid staff.  He commented that there was a shortage of some staff with a number of vacancies being carried.

 

Councillor Dark seconded the amendment.  He drew attention to the meeting of Corporate Performance Panel which had considered the matter.  He commented that whilst the Panel did not have many members present at the end they agreed unanimously to vote against the recommendations. He considered that the real money gap between grades was increasing.  With regard to the £750 one off payment he considered that the senior staff did not need the additional payment as he considered it was increasing the differential between grades.  He did not agree with the increase of the top of senior grades as he considered there was not sufficient evidence presented. 

 

Councillor Parish did not accept the amendment and suggested that the amendment could have been submitted as 2 separate amendments.

 

Councillor Ryves stated that as all staff worked together as a team they should get the same reward.  He didn’t believe that the recommendations from the Panel were discussed by the cabinet.

 

Councillor Rust stated she would vote against the amendment as she felt it was demeaning to the work of senior staff, and said they were not worthy of a pay rise.  She reminded members that peoples pay was commensurate with the work carried out and the qualifications held for those roles.  She reminded members that there was difficulty recruiting to senior staff positions in particular.

 

Councillor Beales commented that he was surprised that the Labour and Conservative Leaders were speaking against the workforce.  He drew attention to the fact that at the Cabinet meeting Councillor Parish had asked questions on all those things raised at the Panel meeting and had responses. He reminded members that 2 conservative members had spoken at Cabinet on the item.

 

Councillor Ring spoke against the amendment, reminding members that they did not know what individual financial situations or the impact of the cost of living were on staff.  He considered the amendment was divisive, and a deliberate attempt to cause a division between staff.

Councillor Lintern informed members that the vote at the Panel was not a unanimous vote as stated by Councillor Dark.

 

Councillor Squire drew attention to the fact that the amendment demonised senior staff who had paid for their education and had years of experience and that Councillors relied on their advice to take decisions.  She considered that members should value all the staff as the amendment could incite officers to seek a different job.

 

Councillor Kemp considered that the money should be channelled back to the lower paid.

 

Councillor Ratcliffe stated her disappointment that the amendment was not made as 2 amendments.  She drew attention to the fact that amendment did not include that the money clawed back from the higher earners be channelled to the lower paid.  She would not be accepting the amendment.

 

Councillor Morley corrected the perception of Councillor Darks comments regarding the Panel recommendations.  He had gone into Cabinet questioning the award proposed, but following the significant debate at Cabinet had agreed with the recommendations. 

 

Councillor Osborne drew attention to comments made on respect, he also commented that the amendment did not change the pay rise element.  He considered that the cost of living payment was felt by many people, but the impact on the higher paid was not as severe, therefore he considered the tapering was sensible.

The small amounts of money saved would help schemes such as the council tax support scheme.

 

Councillor Moriarty drew attention to the ability of the conservative members to comment and ask questions at cabinet.  He drew attention to Councillor Dark’s comments regarding the position the council was in, to which he drew members attention to the fact that the proposals had been fully discussed with Unison and supported by them.

 

Councillor Long suggested that the Panel meeting should have had the item as a single item agenda.  He commented that he valued all staff and hoped to give the best in terms of pay as possible.  He would support the amendment.

 

Councillor Sandell stated that there was no evidence base that raising all scales would help retain staff.

 

Councillor Jones stated that the proposal was asking for the grades to be looked at.

 

Councillor de Winton reminded members that staff did not work for us because they loved working for the council but because they needed to feed their families and were trained for the work.  There was a shortage of people in all areas.  Pay and terms and conditions were important.  He commented that if the package the Cabinet had come up with didn’t work then we would have vacancies. 

 

Councillor Devulapalli voted against the amendment at the Panel meeting.  She considered that it was important to attract and retain staff with skills and qualifications.  Trade unions had been consulted and were happy with the proposals.  She considered staff had waited long enough for the pay award and the discussions were harmful.

 

Councillor de Whalley confirmed that 95% of Unison members who responded voted to accept the award.  He commented that if the ability to recruit staff was compromised, Cabinet would be held responsible.

 

Councillor Parish reminded members that the discussions with Unison commenced in March and they were happy with the proposed award.  The initial discussion with Unison on Councillor Joyce’s amendment was not supported but there was not time to fully consult members. He reminded members that they did not know the financial circumstances of individuals.  He stated that comments had been made to him by senior opposition members that they considered senior staff were paid too much compared with the allowances paid to members.  He considered that the delay to the pay award which was agreed with unison, and the administration would not be helpful in the recruitment of new staff or the retention of the existing staff.  He considered the debate had harmed recruitment. 

 

On moving to the vote on the amendment, the amendment was lost.

 

The debate then moved to the substantive motion.

 

Councillor Moriarty commented that members were always looking at the recruitment of staff.  He wanted staff to feel welcome and an asset to the council.

 

In summing up Councillor Parish reminded members that in the minutes of Cabinet he had listened to all the debate at Cabinet and drew attention to the fact that there was a wider piece of work to be done on pay and conditions.  He had agreed with Unison that discussions would commence for the following year.

 

On being put to the vote the recommendations were approved.

 

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CAB28:                       Appointment of representatives to inquorate parishes

 

Councillor Dark supported the recommendations.

 

Councillor Ryves asked Council to recognise some of the issues suffered by Parish Councillors and clerks.  He asked for a wider support of parishes by the Borough Council.

 

Councillor Long drew attention to the fact that there was an option to provide buy in legal services for parishes who were bodies in their own right.  Many parishes consulted with NALC.

 

Councillor Lintern drew attention to the abuse that many parishes and clerks received.  She hoped that the Council would work on an agenda which had support for parishes if not the numbers of parish councillors would continue to drop.

Councillor de Winton drew attention to the good support his parish had received from the Legal team when required. There had been several incidences at parish level.  He drew attention to the need to make being a councillor more attractive.  The behaviour by the public or by some parish councillors was not acceptable so there should be the ability to suspend abusive councillors.

 

Councillor Kemp drew attention to the abuse councillor suffer. She considered that training and support should be given.

 

Councillor Moriarty commented that Borough Councillors had an obligation to attendt Meetings where possible and support parishes.

 

Councillor Blunt asked that Borough Councillors be given guidelines interest wise should they be appointed onto the parishes.

 

Councillor de Whalley welcomed any way to simplify and support parishes.

 

Councillor Parish drew attention to the forthcoming Corporate Plan which included matters of interest to parishes.  He also informed Councillors that there would be a meeting for parish councils to discuss such issues.

 

On being put to the vote the motion was carried.

 

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CAB30 and 32:          Local Authority Housing Fund – Round 2

 

The proposals in the recommendations were welcomed, and on being put to the vote the recommendations were agreed.

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RESOLVED:  That the recommendations from the Cabinet meeting on 1 August 2023 be approved.

 

At 19.00 Council adjourned and reconvened at 19.11.