Agenda item

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAY

To consider a motion submitted by Councillors Wood, Black, Hartley and Redfern.

Published 25 July 2022.

Minutes:

The following motion of which notice had been given to the Chief Executive in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15 was moved by Councillor Wood and seconded by Councillor Black:

“This council notes:

Local government has endured central government funding cuts of more than 50% since 2010. Between 2010 and 2020, councils lost 60p out of every £1 they have received from central government. UNISON research found that councils in England had to fill a combined funding gap of £3 billion when setting budgets for 2022/23.

Over the last two years, councils have led the way in efforts against the Covid-19 pandemic, providing a huge range of services and support for our communities. Local government has shown more than ever how indispensable it is. But Covid has led to a massive increase in expenditure and loss of income, and as we emerge from the pandemic, local authorities and schools need far more support from Westminster.

Council and school workers kept our communities safe through the pandemic, often putting themselves at considerable risk as they work to protect public health, provide quality housing, ensure our children continue to be educated, and look after older and vulnerable people.

Since 2010, the local government workforce has endured years of pay restraint with the majority of pay points losing at least 25 per cent of their value since 2009/10. Staff are now facing the worst cost of living crisis in a generation, with inflation hitting 9% and many having to make impossible choices between food, heating and other essentials. This is a terrible situation for anyone to find themselves in.

At the same time, workers have experienced ever-increasing workloads and persistent job insecurity. Across the UK, 900,000 jobs have been lost in local government since June 2010 – a reduction of more than 30 per cent. Local government has arguably been hit by more severe job losses than any other part of the public sector.

There has been a disproportionate impact on women, with women making up more than three-quarters of the local government workforce.

Recent research shows that if the Government were to fully fund the unions’ 2022 pay claim, around half of the money would be recouped thanks to increased tax revenue, reduced expenditure on benefits and tax credits, and increased consumer spending in the local economy.

This council believes:

Our workers are public service super-heroes. They keep our communities clean and safe, look after those in need and keep our towns and cities running.

Without the professionalism and dedication of our staff, the council services our residents rely on would not be deliverable.

Local government workers deserve a proper real-terms pay increase. The Government needs to take responsibility and fully fund this increase; it should not put the burden on local authorities whose funding has been cut to the bone and who were not offered adequate support through the Covid-19 pandemic.

This council resolves to:

(1) Support the pay claim submitted by UNISON, GMB and Unite on behalf of council and school workers, for an increase of £2,000 or the current RPI rate, whichever is the greater (along with the various conditions claims proposed)

(2) Call on the Local Government Association to make urgent representations to central government to fund the NJC pay claim

(3) Write to the Chancellor and Secretary of State to call for a pay increase for local government workers to be funded with new money from central government

(4) Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the pay claim and consider practical ways in which the council can support the campaign

(5) Encourage all local government workers to join a union.”

An officer briefing note had accompanied the motion on the agenda.

Introducing the motion, Councillor Wood pointed out that he had circulated some additional information to Councillors as a result of a very recent pay offer by the employer side. An offer of £1,925 across all grades had been made by employers. Councillor Wood had been supplied with some very rough figures from Finance Officers based on the current staffing levels which showed that such an increase would require approximately £1.75m, which was around £1.2m more than had been estimated in the budget for pay increases in 2022/23.

Councillor Wood responded to Councillors’ question on the motion before debate commenced.

At the conclusion of the debate a vote was taken and the motion was clearly carried with 31 Councillors voting ‘for’; 8 voting ‘against’ and 6 abstentions.

Resolved:

This council notes: