Agenda item

To receive the Annual Pay Policy Statement 2022/23.

The Board considered the Annual Pay Policy 2022/23.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·       For the 2022/23 policy some amendments had been made in line with guidance issued from the Department for Communities and Local Government.  To allow for flexibility in the organisational structure and reporting lines in the top tiers of the Council, Assistant Directors had not been listed individually, but were captured within the definition of “chief officer” under the Localism Act.

·       Chief Officers could receive performance related pay of up to 10% of their salary.

·       The pay ratio, or pay multiple, was used to express the relationship between the remuneration of the chief officer/highest paid employee and that of other employees.  A ratio of 8:1 meant that the highest paid individual earnt eight times more than the lowest paid individual.  The Chief Executive was at £156, 473 and the lowest grade at £19,308.

·       Members were advised that the Council applied the NJC national pay agreement.  Appointments were normally made at the minimum of a pay grade, but managers could appoint at higher at their discretion.

·       Market supplements could be applied should a position prove difficult to recruit to in accordance with policy.

·       The Chief Executive’s salary was in line with nationally negotiated rates. 

·       The Gender Pay Gap report had been published earlier in the year.  The Pay Policy was required to be published by the end of March so was late.

·       Barbara Batchelor informed the Board how the Council compared with Reading, Slough, West Berkshire and Windsor and Maidenhead for salaries.  In terms of the highest salary and the ratio to the highest salary, Wokingham was slightly higher than Windsor and Maidenhead.  Slough.  West Berkshire and Reading were higher than Wokingham.  With regards to the highest salary to the median Wokingham at 4.8:1; was lower than the other four authorities.  The Chief Executive’s salary was slightly lower in West Berkshire but higher in Slough, Reading and Windsor and Maidenhead.  Members requested that further comparative salary data for the other Berkshire authorities be provided.

·       Councillor Munro questioned whether Adult Social Care remained a vulnerable area in terms of recruitment and retention and was informed that this remained a national problem.

·       Councillor Bray questioned whether the lowest grade was above the National Living Wage (NLW) and the Real Living Wage (RLW), and if this could be reflected within the Policy or its covering report when considered by Council.  Councillor Bishop Firth questioned whether the Council paid above the National Living Wage and the Real Living Wage for all except interns and apprentices.  Barbara Batchelor agreed to confirm.

·       Councillor Bishop Firth asked about the Council’s policy on the remuneration of the lowest paid workers.  Barbara Batchelor commented that the lowest grade paid £19,308 (£10.01p per hour) and that this was stated within the Pay Policy.  Councillor Bray questioned whether there was a policy in place regarding keeping this at a certain level.  Barbara Batchelor confirmed that payments were in accordance with the NJC Pay Awards.  The Council’s lowest paid worker earnt more than the lowest paid workers in Reading, Slough, and West Berkshire. 

·       Councillor Bishop Firth questioned whether the Real Living Wage scheme could be considered and brought to a future meeting.  Barbara Batchelor advised that once the Council became accredited as part of the Real Living Wage Scheme, it would not have control as to what the RLW could be.  If it increased significantly in comparison to the NJC and NLW increases, it could have an impact on the first four pay bands, and then a trickle up effect throughout the organisation.  There would also be implications for school staff, contractors, and partner organisations such as Optalis.

·       In response to a question as to whether appointments were ever made at below the minimum pay scale, Barbara Batchelor indicated that they were not.

·       Councillor Jones noted that Assistant Directors received between £73,000 and £87,000 and asked how this compared to other authorities.  He felt that the salary gap between Directors and Assistant Directors was widening.

RESOLVED:  That the Annual Pay Policy be recommended to Council subject to the amendments discussed at the meeting.