Issue - meetings

This report provides information and options for the committee to make a recommendation to Council for a staff pay award for 2025/26.

Following consideration the Committee resolved with 4 votes for, 2 votes against and 1 abstention to:

(1)       Recommend to full council a pay award for staff for 2025/26 based on Option 1 set out in paragraph 4.2.1 of the report (2%).

The Committee received a report providing information and options for a staff pay award for 2025/26.

The following matters were considered:

a)             Rate of inflation. In response to a question from a Member, the Director of Corporate Services informed the Committee that the rate of inflation for the Consumer Prices Index was currently around 2 – 2.5%

b)             Annual leave and other staff benefits. In response to a question from a Member, the Head of People and OD informed the Committee that the Council had benchmarked itself against the other Surrey Districts & Borough’s in relation to annual and other leave entitlement for staff, and was broadly similar. Alternative suggestions put forward by staff in relation to leave and other benefits would continue to be looked into.  The Chief Executive informed the Committee that annual leave was not linked to the staff pay award considered by this report.

c)             Local Government Reorganisation. In response to a question from the Chair the Head of People and OD informed the Committee that it was not yet known what impact there would be on staff salaries as a result of the merger into a unitary authority.

d)             Living wage. In response to a question from a Member, the Chair informed the Committee that adjustments were made to staff salaries close to the minimum wage to ensure that a differential was retained.

e)             Pay award level. Councillor Kate Chinn proposed and Councillor Alison Kelly seconded that the Committee agree Option 3 as set out in paragraph 4.2.3 of the report (3%). This proposal was not supported by the Committee, there being 2 votes in favour, 4 votes against and 1 abstention.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 4 votes for, 2 votes against and 1 abstention to:

(1)       Recommend to full council a pay award for staff for 2025/26 based on Option 1 set out in paragraph 4.2.1 of the report (2%).