Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Jilly Julian) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Council’s Annual Pay Policy Statement for 2024/25 and the Gender Pay Gap figures.

RESOLVED - That the Annual Pay Policy Statement be adopted and approval be given to the publication of the Council’s Gender Pay Gap information.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources.

The Pay Policy Statement sets out the Council’s approach to pay policy in accordance with the requirements of Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011. The statement also has due regard for the associated statutory guidance including supplementary guidance issued in February 2013 and the Local Government Transparency code 2014. The statement also incorporates the Council’s Gender Pay Gap (GPG) information in order to fulfill the Council’s obligation to publish this on an annual basis under the GPG reporting requirements.

The purpose of the statement is to provide transparency with regard to the Council’s approach to setting the pay of its employees (excluding teaching staff working in local authority schools) by confirming the methods by which salaries of Council employees are determined; the detail and level of remuneration of its most senior staff i.e. ‘chief officers’, as defined by the relevant legislation; the responsibility of the Appointments Committee to ensure the provisions set out in this statement relating to the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive, Executive Director and Directors are applied consistently throughout the Council and recommend any amendments to the Council.

The Cabinet is recommended to approve and adopt the 2024/25 Annual Pay Policy Statement and agree to publish the Council’s Gender Pay Gap information.

Officer contact: Andrea Steward on 07891949054 or email: andrea.steward@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Jilly Julian) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Council’s Annual Pay Policy Statement for 224/25 and the Gender Pay Gap figures.

It was noted that the for the first time, there was a negative gender pay gap in Stockport showing that women received higher hourly rates of pay than men when calculated by either the mean or median hourly rate.

RESOLVED – That the Council Meeting be recommended to adopt the Annual Pay Policy Statement and agree to publish the Council’s Gender Pay Gap information.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The Pay Policy Statement (the ‘statement’) sets out the Council’s approach to pay policy in accordance with the requirements of Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011. The statement also has due regard for the associated statutory guidance including supplementary guidance issued in February 2013 and the Local Government Transparency code 2014. The statement also incorporates the Council’s Gender Pay Gap (GPG) information in order to fulfil the Council’s obligation to publish this on an annual basis under the GPG reporting requirements.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Andrea Steward on 07891949054 or email: andrea.steward@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) on the Pay Policy Statement (the ‘statement’) which set out the Council’s approach to pay policy in accordance with the requirements of Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011. The statement also had due regard for the associated statutory guidance including supplementary guidance issued in February 2013 and the Local Government Transparency code 2014. The statement also incorporated the Council’s Gender Pay Gap (GPG) information in order to fulfil the Council’s obligation to publish this on an annual basis under the GPG reporting requirements.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resource (Councillor Jilly Julian) attended the meeting to respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Members welcomed the report, in particular the encouraging figures related to gender pay. Figures related to pay in terms of seniority and type of role would be circulated to Members.

·         Members also welcomed the inclusion of the apprenticeship programme and details related to the real living wage.

·         There were challenges related to recruitment of social care roles. The council was working with authorities across Greater Manchester on agency rates to prevent employment agencies from pitting councils against one another. The council had also used creative methods for recruiting to social care roles including pop-up recruitment sessions at Central Library where applicants had the opportunity to be interviewed and offered a job on the same day, avoiding the need to complete a lengthy application form.

·         Recruitment was also focussed on demonstrating that Stockport Council was a great place to work; it had a people plan, an HR strategy and its employees were passionate about the people of Stockport.

·         Members commented that the staff working within Children’s Services and the council’s social workers were committed and skilled.

·         Members of staff were on a salary scale, commenced employment at the bottom of the scale and moved one increment up the scale annually. The increase for each scale was between 1.5 and 1.8 per cent.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.