Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report from the Head of Human Resources.

The report set out a draft pay policy statement as required under the Localism Act. The Localism Act requires the Council to have considered, approved and published a pay policy statement for each financial year. This must be approved by Full Council and be in place by 31 March each year.

The Head of Human Resources reported that there had been delays in the agreement for national pay awards for chief executives, chief officers and the NJC and that there was a national meeting to consider the NJC pay award scheduled on 5 February.  It is expected that no pay awards would be in place to implement for 1 April and whatever was agreed would be backdated.  The NJC settlement was expected to be for one year only while there is consideration of the implications of the Government’s new National Living Wage rate of £10.54 by 2024.

Regarding the amendment circulated on 28 January and tabled, the Head of Human Resources explained that the additional recommendation at 2.6 reflected the position now the Council is about to commence a recruitment process for a new Chief Executive.

The Committee asked what would need to take place for former Cambridge Live staff to be on the same as City Council pay terms and conditions.  The Head of Human Resources said the recommendation in the report with regard to pay awards was one action.

Unanimously resolved to recommend to Council:

     i.        the draft Pay Policy Statement 2020/21 attached as Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report.

    ii.        to delegate authority to the Head of Human Resources to update the Pay Policy Statement 2020/21 should a chief executive and/or chief officer and/or NJC pay award be agreed.

   iii.        that a pay award mechanism is introduced with effect from 1 April 2020 for staff on Cambridge Live terms and conditions of employment, based on comparison to the NJC pay award and authority is delegated to the Head of Human Resources to implement any future pay awards, following consultation with the Chief Executive and Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources.

The Committee also unanimously agreed:

  iv.        To note an oral update regarding any progress on national pay awards for chief executives or chief officers or employees covered by the NJC, with effect from 1 April 2020.

   v.        To note that a review of senior officer salaries has been undertaken in 2019 and that no change to the current pay levels of the Chief Executive, Strategic Directors and Heads of Service was recommended as a result of that review.

  vi.        To ask the Head of Human Resources to undertake a further review of the Chief Executive pay level in 2020 and to include reference to this review in the Draft Pay Policy Statement 2020/21