Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any declarations of interest for items on this agenda.

No declarations of interest were reported.

To authorise the Chairman to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 22 January 2013 as a correct record.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 January 2013 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To consider the Council’s Pay Policy Statement for 2014-15.

The Employment Committee:

(a)        RECOMMENDED the Pay Policy Statement 2014-15 to full Council for approval, subject to:

-       the correction of a typographical error in the second column of the salary scale for the Chief Executive on the first page of the Policy Statement, to read 109,080;

-       the inclusion of a paragraph within the Policy Statement to explain the Council’s position in relation to zero hours contracts.

(b)        AGREED that a review be undertaken of the Council’s lowest pay group to take account of the National Minimum Wage and Living Wage and that a report on this issue be presented to the Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder for consideration.

The Employment Committee considered a report, presented by the Human Resources Manager, which apprised Members of the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 in relation to the Council’s Pay Policy Statement.

The Localism Act 2011 required English local authorities to produce a statutory pay policy statement for each financial year.  A copy of the Council’s draft Pay Policy Statement for 2014/15 was appended to the report for consideration.

In going through the draft Pay Policy Statement document, Members agreed that reference to the Council’s position with regard to zero hours contracts should be included.

Discussion ensued on the National Minimum Wage and the Living Wage.  Members noted that the statutory National Minimum Wage was currently set at £6.31 per hour, with the Living Wage set at £7.65 per hour outside of London and £8.80 within London.  It was emphasised that the Living Wage was set independently by the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University and could be applied on a voluntary basis. 

The Living Wage was not applied at South Cambridgeshire District Council and a question was put forward as to what impact its introduction would have on the Council’s lowest paid staff.  The Human Resources Manager reported that only one pay band was currently below the Living Wage rate and would affect 13 cleaning staff and two apprentices.  It was noted that apprentices were on a different rate of pay to that of the National Minimum Wage as part of their apprenticeship scheme, but were paid well above the national rate for apprentices.

The cost of applying the Living Wage equated to just over £1,000 for South Cambridgeshire District Council, plus an additional 33% for National Insurance and pensions contributions.  In discussing this proposal it was highlighted that the Living Wage was recalculated annually and could rise with limited notice.  It was also suggested that once committed to paying the Living Wage it would be very difficult for the Council to cease paying it should the rate significantly increase.  The Committee agreed that a review on this issue would be undertaken with regard to the Council’s lowest pay group.

The Employment Committee:

(a)        RECOMMENDED the Pay Policy Statement 2014-15 to full Council for approval, subject to:

-       the correction of a typographical error in the second column of the salary scale for the Chief Executive on the first page of the Policy Statement, to read 109,080;

-       the inclusion of a paragraph within the Policy Statement to explain the Council’s position in relation to zero hours contracts.

(b)        AGREED that a review be undertaken of the Council’s lowest pay group to take account of the National Minimum Wage and Living Wage and that a report on this issue be presented to the Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder for consideration.