Agenda item

(To receive a report from Debbie Barnes (Executive Director with responsibility for People Management) which asks the Pay Policy Sub-Committee to consider and agree the Pay Policy Statement 2018-19)

Consideration was given to a report from the Executive Director with responsibility for People Management which advised the Pay Policy Sub-Committee that the Localism Act 2011 required all local authorities to agree, on an annual basis, pay policy statements which were compliant with the provisions of the Act and then to subsequently publish them thereafter.

Fiona Thompson (Service Manager – People) introduced the report and advised that the following areas had been updated within the policy:-

1.    Recruitment, Retention and Market Force Supplements had been renamed 'Attraction and Retention Payments' as noted at paragraph 8;

2.    Pay Progression had been updated to reflect a new Performance & Development Appraisal process implemented in January 2018, as noted in paragraph 12;

3.    Pay Multiples between salary of the highest paid employee and the median full-time equivalent salary had stayed the same as last year, as noted in paragraph 25;

4.    Personal Service Contracts in relation to off-payroll working in the Public Sector (IR35), as noted in paragraph 28;

5.    Gender Pay Gap Information requirements, as noted in paragraph 29; and

6.    Revised pay bands at Appendix A for the Fire & Rescue Service Management Team.  Pay awards from the JNC for the Chief Executive and the Chief Officers were yet to be received.

During discussions, the following points were noted:-

·       In relation to paragraph 9 (Attraction and Retention Payments), it was confirmed that Members were not automatically informed of these payments.  It was reported that there were currently five employees within Children's Services who had been paid an Attraction and Retention Payment.  The Chairman asked that the costs involved be circulated to the Sub-Committee;

·       Analysis was requested on how many offers of employment with attraction payments had been declined and how many had been accepted;

·       It was noted that recruitment of Social Workers remained an issue and that work was ongoing to attract more people into Lincolnshire;

·       Staff who had been TUPE transferred to the authority would remain on their existing terms and conditions until the department underwent a restructure which would then require these staff to move onto the Council's terms and conditions.  It was confirmed that these staff would not receive pay increments and would remain on their existing salary and terms and conditions until a restructure had taken place or they voluntarily transferred to the Council's terms and conditions;

·       It was confirmed that the new Director of Public Health had been appointed on Lincolnshire County Council terms and conditions;

·       An explanation of the appraisal and the increment process was provided.  It was advised that objectives for each member of staff were set yearly and were scored by the line manager.  The overall score was to exceed a certain level to attain the increment.  The increment would be withheld if that level was not reached;

·       Those at the top of the pay band who showed exceptional performance would be encouraged to apply for higher roles in the future as they became available; and

·       The current pay scales were to be revised to reflect the proposed change in the national pay award.  It was explained that the national scale had been mapped over to the authority's pay scale to ensure it remained compliant with the National Living Wage and the integrity of the grading structure could be maintained.  The proposed changes would be presented to the Corporate Management Board, at their meeting on 14 February 2018, for approval to ensure compliance with the National Living Wage increases and that the differentials between grades were maintained.

RESOLVED

          That the Pay Policy Statement 2018-19 be agreed.