North Yorkshire Council

NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE

06 February 2024

NYC Pay Policy for Senior Managers

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive HR & Business Support

1.0

PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1

1.2

This report provides North Yorkshire Council pay policy for senior managers, setting the parameters in which any pay decisions are made throughout the year.

The report also provides the current pay details of Senior Staff in line with transparency requirements of the Localism Act.

2.0 BACKGROUND

2.1 The Localism Act 2011 requires that each authority must publish an annual pay policy statement setting out its approach to a range of matters on pay and reward. There are a number of requirements of the pay policy and the extract below is taken from the Localism Act 2011, section 8. It is the responsibility of local elected members to put in place local arrangements on senior pay and reward that are fair, accountable and deliver best value for taxpayers.

(1) A relevant authority must prepare a pay policy statement for the financial year 2012-2013 and each subsequent financial year.

(2) A pay policy statement for a financial year must set out the authority’s policies for the financial year relating to—

(a) the remuneration of its chief officers,

(b) the remuneration of its lowest-paid employees, and

(i) the remuneration of its chief officers, and

(ii) the remuneration of its employees who are not chief officers.

(3) The statement must state—

(a) the definition of “lowest-paid employees” adopted by the authority for the purposes of the statement, and

(b) the authority’s reasons for adopting that definition.

(4) The statement must include the authority’s policies relating to—

(a) the level and elements of remuneration for each chief officer,

(b) remuneration of chief officers on recruitment,

(d) the use of performance-related pay for chief officers,

(e) the use of bonuses for chief officers,

(f) the approach to the payment of chief officers on their ceasing to hold office under or to be employed by the authority, and

(g) the publication of and access to information relating to remuneration of chief officers.

(5) A pay policy statement for a financial year may also set out the authority’s policies for the financial year relating to the other terms and conditions applying to the authority’s chief officers.

2.2 As a result of local government reorganisation, staff from former North Yorkshire District and Borough Councils were subject to TUPE protection and therefore transferred over to NYC on their existing terms and conditions, including pay and grading structure. They are protected under TUPE legislation and therefore their pay and terms and conditions will remain those protected at the point of transfer rather than those set out in this policy unless they subsequently move to a new NYC role.

2.3 Where staff choose to move onto NYC terms and conditions or are appointed to a new post through a restructure then they will fall within this pay policy, and the equal pay risk which arises from different pay structures, terms and conditions is reduced.

2.4 There are a small number of senior officers from Districts who have TUPE’d over, currently without a permanent designated post within the NYC senior management structure. These TUPE protected roles are listed in Appendix 3, and postholders are allocated senior duties and responsibilities appropriate to their grade and skills.

3.0 OUTLINE OF THE ISSUE THAT A DECISION IS BEING SOUGHT ON

3.1 The pay policy incorporates the decisions of the relevant committees and reflects the national and local agreements with the trade unions recognised for collective bargaining. The Executive are asked to consider the 2024-2025 Pay Policy and recommend to Full Council, at their meeting on 21 February 2024, the approval of the Pay Policy for publication.

4.0 CONCLUSION

4.1 The Pay Policy is a legal requirement to publish for the council and provides the parameters within which pay decisions are made by Officers and members throughout the year.

5.0 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

5.1 The financial implications of the pay policy have been modelled when changes have been proposed and agreed with the Section 151 officer.

6.0 LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

6.1 The legal implications arising from the 2024-2025 Pay Policy are covered in the main body of the report.

7.0 CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS

7.1 Staff travel arrangements have been considered to encourage greener options to limit climate impact, for example encouraging car sharing through a passenger supplement, a cycle allowance, and by offering an electric or hybrid business lease car scheme for those undertaking high business mileage.

8.0 EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

8.1 An equality impact assessment has demonstrated no adverse equality impact. The pay policy applies to all staff across the council equally.

9.0 REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

9.1 A legal requirement to publish the pay policy as set out in the Localism Act 2011.

11.0

RECOMMENDATIONS

11.1

That the Executive consider the 2024-2025 Pay Policy and recommend to Full Council, at their meeting on 21 February 2024, the approval of the Pay Policy for publication.

Trudy Forster

Assistant Chief Executive HR & Business Support

24 January 2024