To consider the following motion for which the necessary notice has been provided:
This Council
1. Recognises the impact that austerity has had on the pay of local government workers in Wales since 2010 where basic pay has fallen by 21% in real terms and included a 3-year pay freeze.
2. Supports the notion of pay that is fair, affordable and sustainable.
3. Supports the NJC for Local Government Services in its pursuance of a renewed pay spine that addresses the issues ‘bunching’ at the lower end of the pay spine.
4. Wishes to see an end to austerity and an improvement in funding that enables local authorities to fund a fair pay increase for its workforce.
Therefore, this Council resolves to:
1. Ask the LGA to effectively lobby Central Government to fund the implementation of the NJC Pay Spine Review caused by the direct effect of the National Living Wage.
2.
Write to both Central and Welsh Governments to provide local government in Wales with the funding to ensure a fair, affordable and sustainable pay increase is made to the local government workforce in Wales.
3. Work with the WLGA in consultation with the trade unions in pursuance of a fair funding deal for local government.
The motion is to be proposed by Councillor Debbie Wilcox and seconded by Councillor Mark Whitcutt.
Minutes:
The Council considered a motion for which the necessary notice had been provided. The motion was moved by Councillor Debbie Wilcox and seconded by Councillor David Mayer:
This Council
1. Recognises the impact that austerity has had on the pay of local government workers in Wales since 2010 where basic pay has fallen by 21% in real terms and included a 3-year pay freeze.
2. Supports the notion of pay that is fair, affordable and sustainable.
3. Supports the NJC for Local Government Services in its pursuance of a renewed pay spine that addresses the issues ‘bunching’ at the lower end of the pay spine.
4. Wishes to see an end to austerity and an improvement in funding that enables local authorities to fund a fair pay increase for its workforce.
Therefore, this Council resolves to:
1. Ask the LGA to effectively lobby Central Government to fund the implementation of the NJC Pay Spine Review caused by the direct effect of the National Living Wage.
2. Write to both Central and Welsh Governments to provide local government in Wales with the funding to ensure a fair, affordable and sustainable pay increase is made to the local government workforce in Wales.
3. Work with the WLGA in consultation with the trade unions in pursuance of a fair funding deal for local government.
Speaking to present the motion, The Leader of the Council referred to the impact of continuing austerity on local government finances, and the ongoing lobbying to lift the public sector pay freeze, which this motion would support.
Speaking to second the motion, Councillor Mayer put forward that many low paid council workers experienced in-work poverty, and action was needed to implement a pay spine review and improve public sector pay.
The following points were put forward by Members speaking in favour of the motion:
· Examples were given of low paid public sector workers struggling with rising bills and increased living costs. Members also cited the rising use of food banks as an indicator of in-work poverty.
· Members called for more fairness in the pay system.
· The impact of ongoing budget reductions on the workloads and responsibilities of staff.
· The impact of public sector pay levels on pay levels within the voluntary sector.
· The political debate between the two extremes of ending austerity and reducing the national debt.
· The impact of low public sector pay on the local economy generally.
· More attention should be paid by central government to addressing the unclaimed tax from big business.
The following comments and questions were raised by Members speaking against the motion:
· What had the Leader done through her WLGA and LGA roles to lobby Welsh Government?
· How would a pay uplift be funded?
· In contradiction to points raised in favour of the motion, it was suggested that public sector workers were currently better paid than the private sector, and increases to the living wage and tax allowances meant that people generally were now better off.
· The funding diverted to Welsh Government and the impact of devolution on public sector funding in Wales.
· The issue of national debt needed to be addressed.
The required number of members called for a recorded vote. The vote was as follows:
Those in favour of the motion: Councillors Al-Nuaimi, Berry, Clarke, Cleverly, Critchley, Davies, C Evans, Forsey, Giles, Guy, Harvey, I Hayat, R Hayat, Holyoake, Hourahine, Hughes, Jeavons, Jenkins, Jordan, Linton, Marshall, Mayer, Mudd, Rahman, Richards, Spencer, H Thomas, K Thomas, C Townsend, H Townsend, Truman, T Watkins, Whitehead, Wilcox. A total of 34 votes.
Those against: Councillors Cornelious, M Evans, Ferris, Fouweather, Kellaway, Mogford, Routley, J Watkins, White, Williams. A total of 10 votes.
Members who abstained: None.
The motion was therefore carried.
Resolved
To adopt the motion as set out in full above.