North Yorkshire Council Pay Policy Statement on Pay Structure, Grading and Conditions for Senior Managers for the Period 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027
1.0 Pay Arrangements
Pay Principles
1.1 The following set of pay principles have been agreed for the NYC:
· Clear and transparent pay structure
· Single Status “one employer” approach, with a single set of terms and conditions and a pay structure, based on job evaluation outcomes, applied consistently to all (non-teaching) Council staff, including Chief Officers and senior managers, and which does not permit varying benefit arrangements for different staff groups
· Affordable
· All pay related decisions are taken in accordance with relevant legislation, and with the aim of securing agreement and support of recognised trade unions
· Pay system based on objective criteria underpinned by job evaluation
· Part of the national pay framework, applying nationally mandated terms and conditions and minimum entitlements, with annual pay awards determined by the various national bodies (NJC, JNC for Chief Officers, and Soulbury) and applied to all NJC staff including those on the locally determined extended pay spine points SCP 44 and above (where not covered by the JNCs for Chief Executives and Chief Officers)
· Fair and equitable for all staff
· Attractive to current employees and the workforce of the future
· With the ability to seek to address staffing difficulties where and when they occur
· Recognises that employees’ reward needs vary, and change during employment
· Recognises the link between pay and individual performance
· Relevant for all employees, whether providing services in the community or based in an office
· Underpins and reinforces the Council’s IACT values (Inclusive, Ambitious, Creative, Together) and behaviours.
· Promotes employee health and wellbeing
· Supports inclusion and diversity
· Contributes to the green agenda, supporting measures to address climate change
· Administratively light touch using self-service and fixed payments where possible
· Corporate consistency but retain and build the benefits of local recognition
· Incorporates national and local collective agreements and any authority decisions on pay with locally determined pay and conditions set out in a local collective agreement, applied to all staff and incorporated into employment contracts
1.2 Job evaluation determines the relative worth of posts in comparison with all posts. The job evaluation score is then set within a pay structure which determines what posts are paid. Local pay and terms and conditions arrangements are reviewed as necessary based on the pay framework of job evaluation and a standard grading structure and terms and conditions.
1.3 NYC is part of the national pay framework with annual pay awards determined by the various national bodies (NJC, JNC for Chief Officers, and Soulbury). This pay policy includes the applied 2025-2026 year pay settlement for NJC staff, which increased pay for all grades by 3.2%, and the national settlement for Chief Executives and Chief Officers of an additional 3.2%. No agreement has yet been reached for any staff group for 2026-2027.
1.4 NYC in common with many other authorities has a locally determined extended pay spine that extends beyond SCP 43 where the current national pay spine ends. The Green Book national NJC terms and conditions confirms that any national pay award applies to NJC staff on points SCP 44 and above where they are not covered by separate JNCs for Chief Executives and Chief Officers. The national pay frameworks determine certain terms and conditions, notably sick pay, maternity pay and provides minimum entitlements for others including annual leave and paternity leave. Apart from the JNC for Chief Officers and Soulbury, the bodies also set out the pay spine and points to be used by local authorities in determining their pay arrangements. It is for local authorities to decide how their pay bands fit onto the national pay spine and what jobs and roles are paid based on job evaluation results.
1.5 The national agreements allow for some local determination and these elements are contained in a “Collective Agreement” between the Council and recognised trade union (non-teaching). This sets out the local pay framework and all local terms and conditions, applies to all staff equally including Chief Officers and senior managers and is incorporated into all employment contracts. It is reviewed annually as part of the local consultation arrangements with trade unions and is available to all staff via the intranet.
2.0 Chief Officers’ Remuneration
2.1 The North Yorkshire Council senior management structure comprises posts set out in the table below.
2.2 In establishing the grades for the NYC management structure, external benchmarking was carried out and reports submitted to the Chief Executive and Chief Officer’s Appointment and Disciplinary Committees to consider the grade and salary of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Officers. Full
Council agreed recommendations from the Committee in July 2022 for the salary range of the Chief Executive Officer with 4 incremental progression points. The Committee considered Chief Officer salaries in November 2022 and Full Council agreed a 5 point pay scale for Directors (DIR2) to attract and retain senior talent, which is consistent with increments in grades across the wider pay structure.
2.3 Chief Officers
|
Role |
Grade |
Salary Range |
|
Statutory Chief Officers |
|
|
|
Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service) |
CEX |
£199,176 - £217,798 |
|
Director of Children and Young People’s Services Director of Health and Adult Services Director of Resources (s151) |
DIR2 |
£141,233 – £164,272 |
|
Non Statutory Chief Officers |
|
|
|
Director of Community Development Director of Environment |
DIR2
|
£141,233 – £164,272
|
2.4 NYC has the following officers who retained their Chief Officer terms and conditions when they TUPE transferred into the Council in April 2023 as part of Local Government reorganisation.
|
Director of Harrogate Convention Centre |
|
£119,014 |
|
Head of Operations |
HOS |
£74,338 - £85,451 |
|
Head of People and Organisational Development |
HOS |
£74,338 - £85,451 |
|
EO Commercial Development |
EO |
£57,670 - £68,782 |
2.5 Other Senior Officers
|
Role |
Grade |
Salary Range |
|
Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services (Monitoring Officer); HR and Business Support; Localities |
DIR1 |
£122,521 - £131,862 |
|
Director of Public Health |
AD3 |
£111,533 - £119,774 |
|
Assistant Director Highways and Infrastructure; Environment and Transport; Education and Inclusion; Children and Families; Housing; Place Shaping and Growth; |
AD3 |
£111,533 - £119,774 |
|
Assistant Director Resources; Technology; Regulation and Harbours; Prevention and Service Development; Customer Revenue and Benefits; Property Procurement and Commercial; Adult Social Care; Culture and Leisure; Education and Skills |
AD2 |
£100,545 - £111,533 |
|
Assistant Director Communications; Legal Operations |
AD1 |
£86,809 - £97,797 |
3.0 Pay Structure and Grades
3.1 The complete pay structure is detailed at Appendix A. The lowest paid employees are at Grade AB, SCP3 on a salary of £24,796 as of 1 April 2026 (2025 pay rates). The highest paid salary is £217,798 paid to the Chief Executive. The median average (excluding schools) has increased again to SCP18, £31,537 per annum, equivalent to the overlap point between Grades G and H.
3.2 The ratio between the median and the highest i.e., the ‘pay multiple’ has increased a little to 8.8:1. This is because the 2025-26 national pay award was a % increase for all pay points, rather than a higher cash increase for the lower parts of the pay scale which has been a feature of recent pay awards. The pay multiple compares well with the recommendation in the Hutton Report that the multiple should not exceed 20. NYC does not have a policy on maintaining or reaching a specific pay multiple but is conscious of the need to ensure that the salaries of the highest paid employees are not excessive and are consistent with the needs of the authority as expressed in this policy statement and its wider pay policy and approach.
4.0 Starting Pay and Pay Progression
4.1 Staff are usually appointed at the bottom of the pay band and progress through the grade annually from 1 April (for employees on NJC terms and conditions) or 1 September (for employees on Soulbury and/or teachers’ terms and conditions) following the annual appraisal. Progression is conditional on demonstrating the requisite knowledge and skills/competencies for the role and meeting the required level of performance and contribution during the review period. This is assessed through the appraisal process and in summary is as follows:
1. Satisfactory performance appraisal by 31st March (for employees on NJC terms and conditions) or 31st August (for employees on Soulbury and teachers’ terms and conditions).
2. Completion of all mandatory training by 31st March (for employees on NJC terms and conditions) or 31st August (for employees on Soulbury and teachers’ terms and conditions).
3. Satisfactory conduct – no live disciplinary warning in place at the pay progression review.
4. Satisfactory performance – no live capability process at the pay progression review.
5. Satisfactory contribution – demonstrating personal effort and commitment, performing in accordance with the Council’s values and behaviours.
6. For line managers, completion of employee appraisals by 31st March (for employees on NJC terms and conditions) or 31st August (for employees on Soulbury and teachers’ terms and conditions).
4.2 The Chief Executive’s appraisal and assessment against the above criteria in order to receive an increment or retain the last increment if at the top of the grade, is undertaken by the Leader in consultation with members of the Executive and other group leaders.
4.3 Pay progression is paused (or stepped back for those at the top of the grade if on NJC or Soulbury terms and conditions) when performance or contribution falls below an acceptable standard, to encourage improved performance and contribution. It can also progress more quickly than annually if an employee is consistently working at an exceptionally high level of performance during the year of the review period.
4.4 Employees can be appointed to a higher pay point, for example to match current salary.
5.0 Additional payments
5.1 There is provision for additional payments to be made to staff as detailed below. These provisions apply in the same way to all staff with no separate or additional pay supplements or arrangements for senior managers or chief officers.
5.2 Recruitment and retention payments – these additional payments can be made to staff in hard to fill posts. A business case is required and must be approved by the Corporate Director. These payments are not permanent, are subject to regular review and are used on a limited basis as needed.
5.3 Market supplements – these can be made when the job grade, as determined by the job evaluation outcome, is less than the median market rate. This is payable as a monthly allowance, rounded to the nearest £100. It is not subject to any uplift resulting from the national pay award and is reviewed at least every two years. The need for these payments must be clearly evidenced by market data and approved by Management Board. Use is limited.
5.4 Incentive payments – made to staff at the discretion of their manager if merited by excellent performance. Payments are in the form of an accelerated increment or an honorarium payment (limited to equivalent of one or two increments) or a thank you payment to a maximum £300.
5.5 Acting up payments – made where staff take on additional duties or responsibilities beyond the remit of their substantive role. Such payments are used regularly to cover staff gaps due to vacancies, maternity leave etc and the payment will reflect the job evaluated grade of the duties being covered.
5.6 All other pay entitlements are the same as for all NYC staff as detailed in the national and local agreements. These include:
· Mileage and limited subsistence expenses
· Annual leave minimum 28 days rising to 34 days after five years continuous local government service
· Sick pay of up to six months full and half pay
· Maternity, adoption, paternity and shared parental leave.
· Other paid and unpaid leave (compassionate, time off for dependants, extended and special leave)
· Pay protection for staff moved to a lower graded role on redeployment/restructuring for one year at a maximum of £8k.
5.7 There are no bonus payments. There are no additional payments or discretions for Chief Officers or Senior Managers.
6.0 Salary Sacrifice Schemes
6.1 The Council continues to provide a range of voluntary benefits for all staff, including discounts on goods and services, health cash plans and financial wellbeing support. Salary sacrifice schemes provide staff with national insurance savings and depending on the scheme, tax and pension savings. The schemes available include green lease cars, cycle to work, childcare vouchers, home technology, professional subscriptions, qualifications, and pension AVCs.
7.0 Termination of Employment
7.1 Termination payments for Chief Officers and senior managers follow the same arrangements and policies for redundancy, redeployment, and pension payments as applicable for all other NYC staff. Staff pension contributions are in accordance with the LGPS and employer contributions as determined through each Triennial Valuation of the North Yorkshire Pension Fund. The Local Government Pension Scheme provides employers with discretion to make monetary awards including additional benefits, payments, and shared cost AVC arrangements that can add significant value to members' accrued pension benefits. However, the NYC Discretion Policies state that no such award will be made to any member of staff.
7.2 NYC redundancy payments are calculated for all staff as per the Redundancy Modification Order based on one week pay for every year’s service (1.5 weeks for years worked over the age of 40) up to a maximum of 30 weeks. In line with recent case law redundancy calculations now include employer’s pension contributions up to the statutory maximum of a week’s pay for redundancy purposes (£719 as of 2025).
7.3 Additional checks and processes are required for Special Severance Payments (SSP). These are sums paid additional to any statutory or contractual entitlements and may be paid in situations where an employee resigns, is dismissed, or agrees a termination of employment. In the rare circumstances where a special severance payment is agreed to be the most effective mechanism for ending employment any SSP over £100k must go to full council for approval, payments between £20k – £100k are approved by Chief Executive and Leader and payments under £20k are approved by Assistant Chief Executive (Legal) and Assistant Chief Executive (HR & Business Support) in line with the scheme of delegation.
8.0 Senior Teaching Staff
8.1 The pay and grading of all teachers including Head teachers is determined nationally.
There are currently 12 Head teachers paid above £100k plus 22 Heads and Deputies in posts with salaries equivalent to Assistant Director pay bands. This does not include Academies that set their own pay for Head teachers and all other staff.
9.0 TUPE
9.1 As a result of local government reorganisation, and the subsequent transfer into the Council of leisure and waste services, staff 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 so their pay and terms and conditions 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.
9.2 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. Just 263 (2.3% of the workforce) remain on different TUPE pay terms and conditions.
10.0 Remuneration Committee
10.1 The Chief Officers’ Appointments and Disciplinary Committee is responsible for determining and amending as necessary the terms and conditions of Chief Officers. Remuneration, terms and conditions will comply with the Pay Policy Statement and any proposed amendments will be submitted to Full Council for approval.
11.0 Transparent Reporting
11.1 This Pay Policy Statement and further information about senior salaries are reported annually on the Council’s website in accordance with Local Government Transparency Regulations https://hub.datanorthyorkshire.org/dataset/salary-information-for-north-yorkshire-council
Appendix A
NYC Grading Structure
|
3 |
£24,796 |
£12.85 |
Grade CD - 309-369 |
Grade AB |
|
4 |
£25,185 |
£13.05 |
||
|
5 |
£25,583 |
£13.26 |
||
|
6 |
£25,989 |
£13.47 |
Grade E - 370-397 |
|
|
7 |
£26,403 |
£13.69 |
||
|
8 |
£26,824 |
£13.90 |
||
|
9 |
£27,254 |
£14.13 |
Grade F - 398-422 |
|
|
10 |
£27,694 |
£14.35 |
||
|
11 |
£28,142 |
£14.59 |
||
|
12 |
£28,598 |
£14.82 |
||
|
13 |
£29,064 |
£15.06 |
Grade G - 423-447 |
|
|
14 |
£29,540 |
£15.31 |
||
|
15 |
£30,024 |
£15.56 |
||
|
16 |
£30,518 |
£15.82 |
||
|
17 |
£31,022 |
£16.08 |
||
|
18 |
£31,537 |
£16.35 |
Grade H - 448-474 |
|
|
19 |
£32,061 |
£16.62 |
||
|
20 |
£32,597 |
£16.90 |
||
|
21 |
£33,143 |
£17.18 |
||
|
22 |
£33,699 |
£17.47 |
||
|
23 |
£34,434 |
£17.85 |
Grade I - 475-509 |
|
|
24 |
£35,412 |
£18.35 |
||
|
25 |
£36,363 |
£18.85 |
||
|
26 |
£37,280 |
£19.32 |
||
|
27 |
£38,220 |
£19.81 |
Grade JK - 510-587 |
|
|
28 |
£39,152 |
£20.29 |
||
|
29 |
£39,862 |
£20.66 |
||
|
30 |
£40,777 |
£21.14 |
||
|
31 |
£41,771 |
£21.65 |
||
|
32 |
£42,839 |
£22.20 |
Grade L - 588-624 |
|
|
33 |
£44,075 |
£22.85 |
||
|
34 |
£45,091 |
£23.37 |
||
|
35 |
£46,142 |
£23.92 |
||
|
36 |
£47,181 |
£24.46 |
Grade M - 625-713 |
|
|
37 |
£48,226 |
£25.00 |
||
|
38 |
£49,282 |
£25.54 |
||
|
39 |
£50,269 |
£26.06 |
||
|
40 |
£51,356 |
£26.62 |
Grade N - 714-941 |
|
|
41 |
£52,413 |
£27.17 |
||
|
42 |
£53,460 |
£27.71 |
||
|
43 |
£54,495 |
£28.25 |
||
|
44 |
£55,539 |
£28.79 |
||
|
45 |
£58,239 |
£30.19 |
SM1 - 942-1043 |
|
|
46 |
£60,437 |
£31.33 |
||
|
47 |
£62,635 |
£32.46 |
||
|
48 |
£64,832 |
£33.60 |
||
|
49 |
£67,030 |
£34.74 |
||
|
50 |
£69,228 |
£35.88 |
SM2 - 1044-1119 |
|
|
51 |
£71,425 |
£37.02 |
||
|
52 |
£73,623 |
£38.16 |
||
|
53 |
£75,821 |
£39.30 |
||
|
54 |
£78,018 |
£40.44 |
SM3
and Consultants |
|
|
55 |
£80,216 |
£41.58 |
||
|
56 |
£82,414 |
£42.72 |
||
|
57 |
£84,611 |
£43.86 |
||
|
58 |
£86,809 |
£45.00 |
AD1 - 1201 - 1320 |
|
|
59 |
£89,556 |
£46.42 |
||
|
60 |
£92,303 |
£47.84 |
||
|
61 |
£95,050 |
£49.27 |
||
|
62 |
£97,797 |
£50.69 |
||
|
63 |
£100,545 |
£52.11 |
AD2 - 1321-1600 |
|
|
64 |
£103,292 |
£53.54 |
||
|
65 |
£106,039 |
£54.96 |
||
|
66 |
£108,786 |
£56.39 |
||
|
67 |
£111,533 |
£57.81 |
AD3 - 1601-1760 |
|
|
68 |
£114,280 |
£59.23 |
||
|
69 |
£117,027 |
£60.66 |
||
|
70 |
£119,774 |
£62.08 |
||
|
71 |
£122,521 |
£63.51 |
DIR1 - 1761-2015 |
|
|
72 |
£125,269 |
£64.93 |
||
|
73 |
£128,565 |
£66.64 |
||
|
74 |
£131,862 |
£68.35 |
||
|
75 |
£135,158 |
£70.06 |
||
|
76 |
£138,455 |
£71.76 |
||
|
77 |
£141,233 |
£73.20 |
DIR2 - 2016-2700 |
|
|
78 |
£146,670 |
£76.02 |
||
|
79 |
£152,318 |
£78.95 |
||
|
80 |
£158,181 |
£81.99 |
||
|
81 |
£164,272 |
£85.15 |
||
|
82 |
£170,597 |
£88.42 |
||
|
83 |
£177,165 |
£91.83 |
||
|
84 |
£199,176 |
£103.24 |
Chief Executive |
|
|
85 |
£205,383 |
£106.45 |
||
|
86 |
£211,591 |
£109.67 |
||
|
87 |
£217,798 |
£112.89 |