Attached.

RESOLVED: That the pay statement, produced in response to the Localism Act 2011 be approved.

To present to the Committee a proposed Pay Statement (a statement of policy).  Chapter 8 of the Localism Act contains the requirement for an annual Pay Statement, the first of which must be approved and then published by 31 March 2012. 

The Committee considered the report and draft Pay Statement,

In response to questions from the Committee, the Reward Manager and the Chief Executive indicated that,

Ø      The Chief Officer Pay Scheme would be reviewed in the light of new organisational structures and arrangements for delivering services and following the current transitional period

Ø      The effect of becoming a Commissioning Council would be fewer directly employed staff and a consequent need to review pay levels

Ø      Whereas remuneration levels had traditionally focussed on the number of direct line management reports, budgets and the sensitivity of the work undertaken would be likely to play a more significant part in determining pay in future

Ø      The ratio cited in the report at paragraph 3.10 had been established by the Office of National Statistics.  It took the median pay and compared it with the highest paid member of staff and was therefore not skewed by an average

Ø      With a ratio of 6.12, the Council’s position was favourable.

The Committee considered whether in view of its commitment to being a ‘light touch’ authority, the Council’s policy on the London Living Wage should be communicated to schools.  It was acknowledged that this policy could not be enforced on schools.

RESOLVED:

            That the Richmond Council Pay Statement be endorsed and submitted to Council for approval at its meeting on 28^th February 2012.