Issue - meetings

The Assembly received a report on the draft Pay Policy Statement for the Council for 2014/15, introduced by the Cabinet Member for Central Services.

The Cabinet Member stated that the report was a demonstration of the Council’s commitment to greater transparency, remembering that staff were the Council’s greatest asset.  In that respect, Members were reminded of the Council’s continued commitment to paying a living wage above the level which was paid across the rest of London.

In recommending the report, Councillor Ogungbose referred to an amendment to the Pay Policy Statement to reflect an error in the stated salary of the Divisional Director of Adult Social Care, from £89,763 to £91,558, to take account of the 2% national pay award for JNC officers.

Responding to the presentation and specifically the table setting out the Chief Officer pay levels, Councillor McCarthy enquired as to the cost since April 2014 of filling the Director of Housing post on an interim basis, and when it was anticipated that the position would be recruited to on a permanent basis. He also questioned why there was no reference to the grade and salary of the post of Director of Growth, currently stated as vacant.

The Chief Executive referred to the wording in the covering report which stated that he would be reviewing the senior management of the Council to ensure it was fit for purpose and his review would include those two posts. Should that result in any changes then the Pay Policy Statement would be amended including grades and salary levels.  In respect of the filling of the interim post of Director of Housing, the Leader confirmed that a written response would be provided to Councillor McCarthy within a week, which would be copied to all Members. 

Referring to the decision to award temporary honorariums to the posts of the Chief Finance Officer and Head of Legal and Democratic Services, and in response to a question from Councillor Gill, Councillor Ogungbose confirmed there were no plans at this time to award honorariums to other JNC post holders. 

The Assembly resolved to approve the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Pay Policy Statement for 2015/16 as set out at Appendix A to the report, for publication on the Council’s website with effect from 1 April 2015, subject to the amendment in respect of the stated salary of the Divisional Director of Adult Social Care.

The Cabinet Member for Central Services presented the draft Pay Policy Statement for the Council for 2015/16, setting out the Council’s key statements of its pay policy as required under the Localism Act 2011.

The Cabinet Member referred to the key principles of the Statement and advised that the Chief Executive would be reviewing the Council’s senior management structure over the coming months, which may result in mid-year changes being required to the Statement.

Cabinet resolved to recommend the Assembly to approve the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Pay Policy Statement for 2015/16 as set out at Appendix A to the report, for publication on the Council’s website with effect from 1 April 2015.