Decision details

Interim Policy for creating joint posts

Decision Maker: Executive

Decision status: Recommmend Forward to Council

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

To approve.

Decision:

Decision:

1.   To recommend to Full Council that until permanent arrangements have been adopted Joint Posts will be appointed by Waverley Borough Council on Waverley Terms and Conditions of employment with a 10% uplift on salary as set out in para 6.3 of this report and Appendix 1;

2.   To note the Head of Paid Service’s proposal to introduce a Policy for creating Joint Posts until permanent arrangements are approved as set out in para 6.4 of this report;

3.   To note the Head of Paid Service’s proposal to introduce a Joint Posts job evaluation competency framework until permanent arrangements are approved as set out in para 6.5 of this report;

4.   To note the Head of Paid Service’s proposal to introduce a Joint Post Salary Grades and Scales Structure until permanent arrangements are approved as set out in para 6.6 of this report and Appendix 2;

5.   To note the Head of Paid Service’s proposal to introduce a Restructure Policy for joint posts until permanent arrangements are approved as set out in out in para 6.7 of this report;

6.   To recommend to Full Council the revisions to the statutory Pay Policy documentation for GBC and that these documents be presented to Full Council for approval as set out in this report and Appendix 3.

7.   To receive a report back from the Head of Paid Service within a two year period setting out recommendations for permanent arrangements and an update on the wider collaboration programme within a six month period.

Reason(s):

1.       The salary benchmarking exercise undertaken concludes the outstanding action from the Officer Resource: Legal & Democratic Services paper presented to GBC Executive on 16 May 2024 and WBC Executive on 7 May 2024.

2.       The salary benchmarking paper sets out findings which reduces the costs of the new Legal and Democratic Services structure.  This is set out in Appendix 1.

3.       Corporate Leadership Board (CLB) has recognised that we need to make long-term decisions relating to how we best harmonise working practices across GBC and WBC. However, we also need to be able to respond to short term pressures from across the councils to implement joint roles across both councils, where CLB agrees that it is appropriate and that there is an urgent and evidence-based need for joint posts to be implemented. 

4.       Therefore, we need to ensure that for a temporary period of time we have appropriate policy, process, and systems in place to ensure that any joint post arrangements are applied consistently, are underpinned by sound governance, are affordable and in line with both councils’ statutory duties relating to best value.  Additionally, we need to mitigate against any possible risks associated with collaborating across two councils with different job evaluation and salary structures (e.g. equal pay). 

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

None.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

Report author: Robin Taylor

Publication date: 04/10/2024

Date of decision: 03/10/2024

Decided at meeting: 03/10/2024 - Executive

Effective from: 12/10/2024

Accompanying Documents: