Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Human Resources Business Manager.

The Human Resources Business Manager presented the report, which set out the City Council’s annual Pay Policy Statement 2014/15, and the legal requirement for approval by Full Council each financial year. The changes to the revised policy were set out in section 2.3 of the report.

A Member welcomed the implementation of the living wage, and asked how this related to the apprentices employed at the City Council and if the City Council had considered offering an ‘apprentice’ living wage.  The Human Resources Business Manager stated that eight apprentices were currently part of a continuous rolling training programme at the City Council. It was acknowledged that such training was considered as part of an overall package of benefits.  The age profile of the apprentices had been expected to be predominantly made up of school leavers, but appointments to the programme tended to be more in the age range of 17 to 19 years.  Apprentice pay rates at the Council were already in excess of the National rates for apprentices with the adult minimum wage being applied as required in line with legislation. The Member hoped that the national low pay unit might review the pay offered to apprentices, but he welcomed the City Council’s stance in relation to the minimum wage.

A Member referred to the pay multiple between the Chief Executive & Growth Director and the lowest paid employee and whether a comparison had been made with other local authorities in Devon and Cornwall.  In response, the Human Resources Business Manager advised that given that all local authorities were currently in the process of approving their pay policy for 2014/15, a comparison had not been undertaken. She provided further information on the apprenticeship scheme, advising that regrettably, because of the current financial situation, onward employment could not be guaranteed after the apprenticeship period had ended.  She also clarified that the Pay Policy Statement would be effective from 1 April 2014 for decisions taken on or after that date.

Scrutiny Committee – Resources recommended that the Council’s annual Pay Policy Statement for 2014/15 be adopted and published following approval by Full Council in accordance with the legislation.