Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Joss Bigmore, for whom Councillor Deborah Seabrook substituted, and from Councillor Stephen Mulliner, for whom Councillor Michael Goodridge substituted.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To confirm, as a correct record, the minutes of the last meeting held on 5 December 2022.

The minutes of the meeting of the Joint Appointments Committee held on 5 December 2022 were confirmed as a correct record.

The Joint Appointments Committee considered a report on the Joint Chief Executive’s pay award for 2023-24.

Benchmarking information was appended to the report which set out the current landscape for comparable roles across other councils with joint arrangements, other local South East Councils and the proposed national pay award information. The figures were also included for the 2023-24 pay awards that had been agreed for both councils up to Director level.

Based on the benchmarking figures, the current salary of the Chief Executive role, £155,625 based on other joint local authorities was above average taking into account the 2022-23 National Pay Award Figure of £1,925, which would bring the average to £146,380.

Due to the wider economic climate and the high cost of living, it had been agreed at both councils to make a pay award for 2023-24 consisting of a consolidated fixed amount and a separate non-consolidated amount. The figures for these varied slightly due to the current affordability and financial situation of each council. These pay awards had been agreed as part of the councils’ budget setting processes.

Applying the Waverley Borough Council pay award to the Chief Executive salary would equate to an overall percentage increase of 2.7%, with 1.6% consolidated and 1.1% non-consolidated.

The current proposal from Employers Nationally was for a 3.5% increase to Chief Executive Pay; however, it was noted that both Waverley and Guildford negotiated officer pay locally.

In considering the benchmarking information provided, it was suggested the salary comparisons with other local authorities within the South-East should, in future, only include district/borough councils and not unitary councils.

Having considered the report, the Joint Appointments Committee

RESOLVED:

That the pay award for the Joint Chief Executive for the 2023-24 Financial Year be based on the same pay award agreed for Waverley staff up to Director level comprising:

(a)  a consolidated increase to salary of £2,500, taking the new salary to £158,125 per annum, and

(b)  the three cost of living payments of £550 payable in April, May and June 2023, totalling £1,650 as a non-consolidated payment.

Reasons:

·       Waverley and Guildford both had local pay negotiation processes in place and whilst they should consider the National Pay approach, they were not bound by it.

·       The Joint Chief Executive’s salary was currently above average when considering other joint local authorities.

·       This year Waverley and Guildford had both taken the approach to recognise the significant impact of the cost of living on lower paid staff and to make an ‘across the board’ equitable consolidated pay award to all incremental points supplemented with a separate non-consolidated payment paid in three consecutive monthly instalments from April 2023.

·       The Joint Chief Executive undertook the role across both Waverley and Guildford Borough Councils and as with the other Senior Team members of three Strategic Directors and twelve Executive Heads of Service were all Waverley employees. All the others would be awarded the £2,500 consolidated pay award and the £1,650 non-consolidated cost of living payment as agreed by the Waverley Joint  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.