Agenda item

The People, Performance and Development Committee is invited to recommend to Full Council that the attached Pay Policy Statement for 2016 for publication on the Council’s external website.

This report is being brought to the People, Performance and Development Committee as Surrey County Council’s Remuneration Committee in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation contained within the Constitution of the County Council.

Declarations of interest:

None

Witnesses:

Ken Akers, Head of HR & OD

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    An updated version of the Pay Policy Statement “the Statement” was tabled at the meeting for consideration by the Committee and is attached to these minutes as Annex 1. Members received an introduction to the item from officers who highlighted that it had been necessary to amend the Statement as a result of changes to staff members’ terms and conditions of employment arising from the implementation of a new Pay & Reward Strategy. PPDC were advised that Full Council would be asked to formally agree the revised Statement at its meeting on 6 December 2016.

2.    Members were concerned that language and formatting made some of aspects of the Statement difficult to understand and a number of changes to the Statement were therefore requested before it was submitted to Full Council for consideration and approval. Officers stated that the Statement would be amended in accordance with the Committee’s suggestions and advised that a final version would be tabled for agreement at Full Council on 6 December 2016.

3.    Discussions took place regarding pay progression for political assistants who, due to restrictions on pay imposed by Central Government, had not seen an increase in their pay band maximum since 2006. The Committee stated that it was unfair that political assistants’ pay had remained stagnant for such a long period and it was agreed that the Chairman of the Committee should write a letter to the Secretary of State making this point and requesting that consideration be given to increasing the pay band maximum for political assistants.

Actions/ further information to be provided:

1.    That the following amendments be made to the Pay Policy Statement:

1. 1. Condense the Pay Policy Statement by first covering schools based staff, followed by non-schools based staff.
   2. Details of staff benefits should be removed from the section titled ‘Chief Officers Remuneration’. Staff benefits should instead be given its own standalone section.
   3. A cover sheet to be added to the Pay Policy Statement providing a brief synopsis of what the Statement covers and a brief outline of the changes arising as a result of the revised Pay and Reward Strategy.
   4. The first paragraph under Surrey Pay should highlight that the negotiations around Surrey Pay terms and conditions are made through collective bargaining.
   5. Reference to the CEX and senior pay grades should be removed from the Schools based Surrey Pay Staff section
   6. Further clarity should be provided in respect of what is meant by job-based pay models and career based pay models.
2. A letter from the Chairman of the Committee to be sent to the Secretary of State highlighting that the pay band maximum for political assistants had not been increased since 2006 and suggesting that this should be addressed

RESOLVED: That;

subject to the amendments requested by Members, the People, Performance and Development Committee agreed to recommend publication of the Statement to the next meeting Surrey County Council Full Council on 6 December 2016.