Issue - meetings

To receive and approve the Councils Pay Policy Statement, as recommended by the Appointments, Remuneration and Chief Officer Conduct Committee (15 January 2024) (Minute 85 refers). The minutes of that meeting and Pay Policy Statement are attached to the agenda.

The Leader of the Council MOVED and Councillor McInnes SECONDED that the recommendations of the Appointments, Remuneration and Chief Officer Conduct Committee be approved and that the Pay Policy Statement for 2024/25 (and consequential changes to the Council’s Constitution) as set out at Minute 85 of that Committee be endorsed and the Constitution amended accordingly.

The Motion was put to the vote and declared CARRIED.

The Council considered the recommendations of the Appointments, Remuneration and Chief Officer Conduct Committee held on 15 January 2023 relating to the adoption by the County Council of the proposed Pay Policy Statement for 2024/25.

The Leader of the Council MOVED and Councillor McInnes SECONDED that the recommendations of the Appointments, Remuneration and Chief Officer Conduct Committee be approved and that the Pay Policy Statement for 2024/25 (and consequential changes to the Council’s Constitution) as set out at Minute 85 of that Committee be endorsed and the Constitution amended accordingly.

The Motion was put to the vote and declared CARRIED.

Joint Report of the Director of Legal and Democratic Services and Director of People and Culture outlining the proposed Pay Policy Statement for 2024/2025, attached.

RESOLVED that the revised Pay Policy Statement (Appendix 1 of the Report) for 2024/25 be endorsed and commended to the Council.

The Committee considered the Joint Report of the Director of Legal and Democratic Services and Director of People and Culture which outlined the proposed Pay Policy Statement for 2024/2025.

The Pay Policy Statement, required under the Localism Act 2011, was a statutory requirement and needed to be reviewed annually.

The Pay Policy Statement (2024/25) had been reformatted and revised to incorporate the LGA Model Pay Policy Template which ensured the Council was meeting the statutory requirements of openness and accountability in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 (section 38). In addition, a review of benchmarking of other Local Authorities’ Pay Policy Statements had taken place and the Council’s revised Pay Policy Statement was comparable.

The Statement currently specified that salaries for Chief Officers (Directors) and Heads of Service on Leadership Grades were fixed for the duration of the Policy and any variation required approval from the County Council, except in the case of annual pay awards, determined by national agreement.

The Pay Policy Statement took account of the implications of the National Living Wage on the pay and grading structure, recruitment and retention difficulties and the changing nature of work and roles within the Council.

The Committee noted that a Pay and Allowances Review continued to be conducted and a new staff Benefits Platform had been launched in 2023 to support the health and wellbeing, welfare and performance of employees.

Appendix 2 in the Pay Policy Statement set out the current Senior Officer salary levels and Director /Heads of Service roles and salary levels based on 2023/24 pay rates.

It was MOVED by Councillor Saywell, SECONDED by Councillor Leaver, and

RESOLVED that the revised Pay Policy Statement (Appendix 1 of the Report) for 2024/25 be endorsed and commended to the Council.