Agenda item

This report focuses on introducing the MedPay Review principles for senior managers (Strategic Service Managers and Service Managers), ensuring that the senior officer pay scales are adjusted in align with the rest of the organisation to enable progression through the pay ranges, based on a career progression framework (to be developed).

Background:

This report focused on introducing the MedPay Review principles for senior managers. It sought to align senior officer pay scales with the rest of the organisation, to enable progression through the pay ranges, based on a career progression framework, which would be developed by service areas, as was the case for all other ranges.

A competency framework had been agreed at the Employment Matters Committee meeting held on 29 January 2025. However this did not enable progression through pay grades and further work was now needed to take place to build the progression frameworks for senior managers.

The report had previously been considered by the Employment Matters Committee on 1 May 2025, the minutes of which were set out at section 6 of the report.

The report explained that the Employment Matters Committee had agreed to recommend pay scale Option B to Council for approval, which contained four pay progression points, rather Option A, which contained three pay progression points and had been preferred by officers. The report, therefore, requested Council to approve Option B, as recommended by the Committee.

The Chairperson of the Employment Matters Committee, Councillor Mark Prenter, supported by the Portfolio Holder for Business Management, Councillor Van Dyke, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.

Councillor Hackwell, supported by Councillor Fearn, proposed the following amendment:

1)    “The Council is asked to note the progress and preferred direction for senior officers’ pay and performance management and the option recommended by officers, being Option A. 

2)    The Council is asked to note the comments made by the Employment Matters Committee with regard to recommending Option B rather than Option A, as set out at section 6 of the report and the comments in response to Option B of the Chief Organisational Culture Officer, as set out at section 7 to the report. 

3)    The Council takes due regard to the views of the Employment Matters Committee’s recommendation of is asked by Employment Matters Committee to agree Option B (as set out in Appendix A to the report), however agrees with the recommendation from the Chief Organisational Culture Officer and the Corporate Management Team that Option A be agreed so work can commence on building the professional frameworks for each area.

4)    The Council is requested to note that the development of a Career Progression Framework and salary scales for Assistant Directors and Deputy Directors shall be undertaken concurrently but implemented subsequently by the Head of Paid Service.”

Amended Recommendation reads:

1)    “The Council is asked to note the progress and preferred direction for senior officers’ pay and performance management and the option recommended by officers, being Option A. 

2)    The Council is asked to note the comments made by the Employment Matters Committee with regard to recommending Option B rather than Option A, as set out at section 6 of the report and the comments in response to Option B of the Chief Organisational Culture Officer, as set out at section 7 to the report. 

3)    The Council takes due regard to the views of the Employment Matters Committee’s recommendation of Option B (as set out in Appendix A to the report), however agrees with the recommendation from the Chief Organisational Culture Officer and the Corporate Management Team that Option A be agreed so work can commence on building the professional frameworks for each area.

4)    The Council is requested to note that the development of a Career Progression Framework and salary scales for Assistant Directors and Deputy Directors shall be undertaken concurrently but implemented subsequently by the Head of Paid Service.”

Upon being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.

Decision:

Upon being put to the vote, the recommendations set out in the report were agreed.

a)    The Council noted the progress and preferred direction for senior officers’ pay and performance management and the option recommended by officers, being Option A.

b)    The Council noted the comments made by the Employment Matters Committee with regard to recommending Option B rather than Option A, as set out at section 6 of the report and the comments in response to Option B of the Chief Organisational Culture Officer, as set out at section 7 to the report.

c)    The Council, as asked by Employment Matters Committee, agreed Option B (as set out in Appendix A to the report) so work could commence on building the professional frameworks for each area.

d)    The Council noted that the development of a Career Progression Framework and salary scales for Assistant Directors and Deputy Directors would be undertaken concurrently but implemented subsequently by the Head of Paid Service.