Agenda item

The Chief Executive stated that the main purpose of Being our Best was to ensure that BANES as a local authority was best placed to meet the challenges ahead and improve people’s lives.  Staff were central to the work of the authority and all the outcomes.  The organisational structure and roles were fundamental to this and the new pay grade model would be fair, affordable and reflective of the market.  The recommendations followed work with the independent consultants and executive leadership team and were the product of consultation with the trade unions and staff.  He confirmed that they did not wish any staff to be in pay detriment.

The Director of People and Change presented the report and explained that there were three strands to the programme.  This report contained changes in relation to the Great Jobs workstream which focused on the introduction of role profiles, introducing 2 additional work elements to our job evaluation method and ensuring equal pay for work of equal value and for our revised pay and grading structure to be modern, fair, fit for purpose and competitive.  She explained that the Hay job evaluation scheme had been used since 1996 in BANES.  It is a nationally recognised and understood scheme for job evaluation to ensure that there is an objective process for measuring the relative size of each role.  Benchmarking had taken place across the region and nationally looking at the pay framework in local government. Independent consultants Korn Ferry had been used.  The move was away from the previous 999 job descriptions to 355 more generic role profiles. 

The three trade unions – UNISON, Unite and GMB – had been engaged from the beginning of the process and formally consulted on proposals since 8 August 2024.  Some parts of the proposals had been amended in light of this consultation – for example three years pay protection instead of two years.  She confirmed that all staff would receive the national uplift this year, in addition to the changes being implemented as part of this decision and it would be backdated to 1 April 2025.  All staff would receive their letters and have the right to appeal.

The Director of People and Change proceeded to take members through the details of the report and during debate, the committee went into exempt session (paragraphs 1, 2 & 4) to consider the exempt appendices as the information related to staff data, individual role profiles, Avon Pension Fund and leadership pay.

During discussion the following points arose:

·  members requested that any decision regarding the six roles that were excluded from this implementation (PCV Drivers, Cleansing Drivers, LGV and non-LGV drivers in Waste and Recycling, Waste & Recycling Operatives (Loaders) and Recycling Advisers), be referred back to the Employment Committee.

·  clarification of the lower pay grades in relation to the changing payscale and matching individuals to appropriate roles;

·  account was taken in the proposals of the national minimum wage and national living wage;

·  clarification of the number of staff affected by the 10% limit within pay protection; and

·  confirmation that all staff would receive the national annual pay rise.

On a motion from Councillor Toby Simon, seconded by Councillor Ian Halsall it was

RESOLVED that the Employment Committee, on behalf of Council:

1)  approve the new pay and grading structure for the council to be implemented on 1 June 2025 backdated to 1 April 2025;

2)  approve the move to role profiles from the same date; and

3)  agree the amendment to the pay protection policy not to invoke the 10% limit rule within pay protection, where individuals would see an immediate detriment on implementation.