Agenda item
Localism Act 2011 - Pay Policy Statements
Section 38 (1) of the Localism Act 2011 requires England and Welsh local authorities to produce a pay policy statement for 2012/13 and subsequent financial years. The purpose of this report is to inform members of the General Purposes Committee of the arrangements that have been put in place in Brent Council to meet the requirements of the Act. The Act requires the pay policy statement to be approved by a meeting of Full Council and the statement will be reported to the meeting of Full Council in March.
Minutes:
Cara Davani (HR Director) introduced the report to the committee and explained that the Localism Act 2011 required local authorities in England and Wales to publish a Pay Policy Statement for each financial year. The Statement had to be approved by 31 March and was scheduled to be considered by Full Council at its meeting on 3 march 2014.
Cara Davani drew members’ attention to the Pay Policy Statement attached at appendix 1 to the report and explained that it outlined Brent’s policy on pay and benefits for all employees, excluding Schools. In accordance with the Localism Act 2011, the Statement included details of the remuneration of chief officers and lowest paid employees and the relationship between the remuneration of chief officers and all other employees. The Statement reflected current practice and there were no proposals to make any policy changes. Several key updates to the Statement were highlighted to the committee, including the amendment of the Pay Multiple to account for the employment of Brent’s Interim Chief Executive; the implementation of the London Living Wage; and, the transfer of Public Health staff to the Council. The Pay Policy Statement also alerted to the impending new HR Strategy for 2014-17 which was currently in the final stages of development.
With reference to the recommendations set out in the report, Andrew Potts (Senior Employment Lawyer) advised that the committee was being asked to note the attached Pay Policy Statement.
In the subsequent discussion, the committee raised several queries. A member noted that an employee’s annual pay progression was subject to satisfactory performance and queried how this was defined. It was similarly queried what constituted the minimum period referred to in relation to the re-employment of a former employee by the council and, the exceptional circumstances under which a temporary member of staff might be permitted to cover a permanent role. The committee agreed that the Pay Policy Statement should be amended to clarify these points, with reference made to the relevant policies.
In response, Cara Davani advised that the Pay Policy would be amended as suggested and explained that the appraisal process allowed the council to define satisfactory performance. With regard to the re-employment of a former employee, the minimum period was strictly set out in the Managing Change Policy. It was further explained that a lot of work had been undertaken to reduce the number of temporary staff employed by the council and a temporary employee would only be required to cover a permanent role where this was absolutely necessary; this could include interim cover for a senior post during a period of recruitment.
RESOLVED:
(i) that the Pay Policy Statement, as attached at appendix 1 to the report, be amended to clarify the points raised by the committee;
(ii) that the amended Pay Policy Statement be noted as an accurate and factual representation of the council’s pay arrangements for 2014/15;
(iii) that it be noted that the Pay Policy Statement would be submitted for approval to Full Council on 3 March 2014 and that any subsequent amendments to the Pay Policy Statement required during the year would be brought back to the General Purposes Committee for consideration before being submitted to Full Council for approval.
Supporting documents: