Decision - Review of Council Grading Structure

RESOLVED : That the Committee – (i) Having considered the information in the part 2 report, agreed to the proposed changes to the grading structure outlined in paragraph 3.8 and 3.9 and Appendix 2 and that these changes are backdated to 1st January 2022; (ii) Agreed to the proposed assimilation of staff from the current grading structure to the new grading structure as outlined in Appendix 3 from 1st September 2022 with increased salary rates being backdated to 1st January 2022; (iii) Delegated authority to the Director of Human Resources & Organisational Development, following consultation with the Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer, to take all necessary actions to implement these changes as soon as is practicable; (iv) Asked for a future report to Policy & Resources Committee before Budget Council in 2023, outlining a comprehensive review of staff pay grades and structures right across the council, to identify any changes needed to ensure our staff are paid at competitive rates, and that staff retention and recruitment are made easier; (v) The Committee: · noted the concerns expressed by the unions regarding the risk of redundancies among school support staff which may result from these proposals; · further noted that the power to make decisions regarding employment and dismissal of staff rests with the school governing body; · Agreed to use reasonable endeavours to facilitate discussions between all interested parties with the aim to avoid redundancies which may result from the proposals in the report.

The report proposes changes to the Council’s pay grading structure, including setting spinal column point 7 as the minimum rate of pay and introducing new grades 4a and 4b. The changes would apply from 1 January 2022, with a national pay award expected from 1 April 2022 but not yet agreed.