Council and Democracy

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 2, Town Hall, Rose Hill, Chesterfield

Contact: Rachel Lenthall  01246 345277

Items
No. Item

24.

Declarations of Members' and Officers' Interests relating to Items on the Agenda

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were received.

25.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

No apologies for absence were received.

26.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 199 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED –

 

That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 25January, 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

27.

Policy on the Implementation of the Living Wage pdf icon PDF 12 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The HR Manager submitted a report seeking approval for the payment of the current voluntary national living wage amount of £8.25 per hour to all council staff on Green Book terms and conditions.

 

The report explained that accreditation from The Living Wage Foundation resulted in authorities having reduced control over pay budgets due to the living wage being set independently each year by an external source. By paying a voluntary living wage authorities could still pay a living wage supplement but they would retain budgetary control. From April 2016, it had been announced that there would be a national living wage; this had been factored into the voluntary living wage proposals.

 

The report outlined the employees who would benefit from the proposals and how the allowance would be received. All staff on NJC Green Book terms and conditions who received a basic hourly rate of pay of less than £8.25 would receive an additional allowance for the living wage that would bring their basic pay to that level. The living wage would not apply to craft workers as the bonuses they receive would take their hourly pay above the threshold. The allowance would only be awarded on basic pay and overtime payments would continue to be paid at the current rate of pay without the additional allowance.

 

The allowance would be awarded from April to April each year and would be reviewed annually. The allowance could be withdrawn at any point if budget dictated.

 

The proposals had been discussed with the trade unions who had given their support with the condition that an option was explored to address the differentials in the rates of pay for chargehands and cleaners.

 

*RESOLVED –

 

1.   That the payment of the voluntary living wage be approved for 2016/17.

 

2.   That the differentials in the rates of pay for chargehands and cleaners be addressed immediately.