Issue - meetings

This report sets out the Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2020/2021, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, for approval, following initial consideration by the Employment Matters Committee on 26 January 2021.

Background

This report provided details of the Pay Policy Statement (PPS) for the financial year 2021/22 in accordance with the Localism Act 2011. It was noted that the PPS must be approved by a resolution of Full Council before it came into force and had to be prepared and approved before 31 March 2021 for the following financial year.

The report had been considered by the Employment Matters Committee on 26 January 2021, details of which were set out in section 6 of the report.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been carried out on the PPS, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report.

The Portfolio Holder for Resources, Councillor Gulvin, supported by the Portfolio Holder for Business Management, Councillor Rupert Turpin, proposed the recommendation set out in the report.

Decision

The Council approved the Pay Policy Statement 2021/2022, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

Councillors Browne, Cooper, Hubbard, Johnson, Khan, Maple,Murray, Osborne, Prenter and Andy Stamp requested that their votes in favour of the decision be recorded in accordance with Council Rule 12.6.

This report asks Members to note the Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2020/2021 in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 for referral to Full Council for agreement.

Discussion:

Members considered a report regarding the Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2020/2021 in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and were requested to referral it to Full Council for agreement.

The following points and questions were raised:

• Working from home – whether the fact that most staff were now largely working from home would affect the elements of remuneration listed in paragraph 3.25 of the Policy was questioned. The Head of HR commented that everyone working from home had been provided with the IT equipment they needed for their job. There had been some requests for additional equipment and these were assessed on a needs basis and not according to grade.

• Essential User – the Head of HR clarified that essential users received a set payment.

• Additional duties/projects – referring to paragraphs 5.27-5.30 of the Policy, how this section would capture the additional work and projects many staff had undertaken in response to the pandemic was questioned. Members were advised that where a member of staff had taken on additional duties which warranted a higher salary then they had been paid the appropriate rate.

• Discounted Interest free loans – in response to a question as to whether electric bikes should be included in this list, the Head of HR advised that the travel loans policy was being reviewed and they would be included.

• Changes to Policy – in terms of whether the Policy had changed significantly since last year, the Head of HR advised that the main changes had been around the percentage pension contributions and pay bands. There was a need to review in detail the contents of the Policy and it was noted that the Policy currently contained more than required by the Localism Act. This review would be reported to the Committee.

• Private Medical Health Insurance – the appropriateness of this being referenced in the policy was questioned. The Head of HR commented that she was unsure how this had come to be included but it would be investigated as part of the wider review mentioned.

Decision:

The Committee agreed to note the Pay Policy Statement 2020/2021, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, and refer it to Full Council for agreement.