Issue - meetings

Consideration of recommendations of the General Purposes Committee in respect of an updated Pay Policy Statement for 2026/27.

Consideration was given to the recommendations of the General Purposes Committee of 21 January 2026 in respect of the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 and an updated Pay Policy Statement for 2026/27 as set out in Annex 1.

As there had not been many significant changes in the Borough Council’s remuneration policy, the substantive content of the updated Policy was nearly identical to the Borough Council’s Pay Policy Statement 2025/26. The key updates related to the actual pay received by staff, the pay multiple data and the number of officers in specific graded posts.  A new section had been added to reflect the current Long Service Award scheme operated within the Council.

An amendment to recommendation GP 26/4 to include the Real Living Wage as a consideration in the Pay Policy was proposed by Cllr Clokey and seconded by Cllr Banks. It was clarified that this would not bind the Borough Council but would require formal consideration when setting the annual pay award.

Concern was expressed that including the Real Living Wage as a consideration would reduce the Borough Council’s flexibility in setting local pay levels, potentially leading to prescriptive outcomes and impacting its ability to address market conditions and recruitment challenges.

Following a formal vote, the amendment motion was lost with 20 Members voting in favour and 20 Members voting against.  The Mayor used their casting vote against the amendment.   

In recognition that having a robust Pay Policy Statement assisted in providing efficient services for residents and maintained an effective council, Cllr Rhodes proposed, Cllr Boughton seconded and Council

RESOLVED: That the Pay Policy Statement set out in Annex 1 be endorsed and adopted.

This report summarises the requirements of the Localism Act and presents an updated Pay Policy Statement for 2026/27.

The report of the Director of Central Services and Deputy Chief Executive summarised the requirements of the Localism Act and presented an updated Pay Policy Statement for 2026/27 as set out in Annex 1 to the report. 

Members noted that as there had not been many significant changes in the Borough Council’s remuneration policy, the substantive content of the updated Pay Policy Statement for 2026/27 was nearly identical to the Council’s Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26.  The key updates related to the actual pay received by staff, the pay multiple data and the number of officers in specific graded posts.  Furthermore, a new section had been added to reflect the current Long Service Award scheme operated within the Council.

Reference was made to the factors that would be taken into consideration in setting an annual pay award, as outlined in Section 3 of the Pay Policy.  It was proposed by Councillor Clokey and seconded by Councillor Banks that ‘relevant official statistics and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) lead inflation index’ be added alongside the inflation levels as one of the factors, and that a new factor of ‘the level of Real Living Wage’ also be included.  It was explained that these factors would not bind the Borough Council but would require formal consideration in setting the annual pay award.  Concern was raised that including the real living wage as a consideration could reduce the Council’s flexibility in setting pay level locally, potentially leading to prescriptive outcomes and impacting its ability to address market conditions and recruitment challenges.  Following a formal vote, both motions were lost with 6 Members voting against (including a casting vote of the Chair) and 5 Members voting in favour.

The Chair proposed, seconded by Councillor Davis, and the Committee

RECOMMENDED*:  That

(1)          the Pay Policy set out in Annex 1 be commended for adoption at the Council meeting on 24 February 2026.

*Recommended to Council