To present for Council’s approval the Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26.

The Chief Executive declared an Interest in the subject matter of this item and left the meeting whilst Council deliberated and reached its decision.

It was reported that at its meeting held on 24 February 2025 (Minute 17 referred), the Human Resources and Council Tax Committee had considered a report of the Head of People (A.3) which had sought the Committee’s endorsement of the draft Pay Policy Statement 2025/26.

The Committee heard that the Localism Act 2011, Chapter 8 (Pay Accountability) Sections 38 and 39, required the Council to prepare a Pay Policy Statement that articulated the Council’s approach to a range of issues relating to the pay of its workforce.

Members were told that, Schedule 2 of Part 3 of the Constitution confirmed Full Council was responsible for the preparation and approval of a Pay Policy Statement for the upcoming financial year in accordance with Chapter 8 of the Localism Act 2011.

Officers informed Members that the Human Resources and Council Tax Committee had historically overseen the preparation of a draft Pay Policy Statement for recommendation onto Full Council for its approval and adoption.

Members were also informed that matters that must be included in the statutory Pay Policy Statement were as follows:-

  A local authority’s policy on the level and elements of remuneration for each Chief Officer.

  A local authority's policy on the remuneration of its lowest-paid employees (together with its definition of “lowest-paid employees” and its reasons for adopting that definition).

  A local authority’s policy on the relationship between the remuneration of its Chief Officers and other Officers.

  A local authority’s policy on other aspects of Chief Officers’ remuneration: remuneration on recruitment increases and additions to remuneration, use of performance related pay and bonuses, termination payments and transparency.

The Committee had been reassured that the draft Pay Policy Statement 2025/26 outlined the Council’s approach to remuneration, detailing policies on the pay of Chief Officers and the lowest-paid employees, the relationship between different levels of pay, and the Council’s adherence to the National Pay Grades set by the National Joint Council (NJC). The adoption of this framework ensured a fair and transparent approach to remuneration, including incremental progression based on service length and performance.

Members had noted that the statement covered discretionary allowances for statutory and non-statutory officers, market forces supplements to address recruitment and retention challenges, and the Council’s policies on organisational change, redundancy payments, pay protection, and access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.

The Committee had been informed about the Council’s position on mileage and subsistence payments, overtime, and standby allowances. The document emphasised transparency and compliance with statutory regulations, including gender pay gap reporting, off-payroll working rules, and severance payments.

Officers had reported limited changes in the 2025/26 draft Statement, except for the implementation of the 2024/25 pay award, following agreement between National Employers and National Unions. The document had been reviewed to ensure legal compliance, best practice, and high transparency for staff and residents of Tendring. Changes in the draft Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26 had been highlighted in red text.

It had been:-

RESOLVED that the draft Pay Policy Statement 2025/26, as set out in Appendix A of the Officer report, be recommended onto Full Council for approval and adoption.

A copy of the published report of the Head of People (and its appendices) presented to the Human Resources and Council Tax Committee held on 24 February 2025, was attached to the reference report from the Human Resources and Council Tax Committee (A.6).

Having reviewed the reference report from the Human Resources & Council Tax Committee (A.6):-

It was moved by Councillor Chapman BEM, seconded by Councillor Calver and:-

RESOLVED that the Council approves the draft Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the reference report (A.6), for adoption in accordance with the Authority’s statutory obligations.