Pay policy

Introduction

The council is committed to fairness, transparency and the principle of equal pay in employment.

This pay policy statement sets out Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council’s policy on pay for senior managers and employees for 2024/25 and is in accordance with the requirements of Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011. 

The policy will set out the council’s policies for the financial year relating to:

• The remuneration of its chief officers
• The remuneration of its lowest paid employees; and
• The relationship between the remuneration of its chief officers and its employees who are not chief officers (the pay multiple)

The Council’s Pay Policy Statement will be agreed by Full Council before the beginning of each financial year and will then be published on the HBBC website. The statement may also be amended by Full Council during the year.  

The statement meets the council’s obligations under the Localism Act 2011 and will enable elected members of the council to make decisions on pay. 

The Local Government Transparency Code 2015

The Local Government Transparency Code 2015 requires local authorities to publish open data, including an organisation chart giving information on senior employees' salaries. The organisation chart required under the code must provide information on all staff in the top three levels of the organisation, excluding those whose salary does not exceed £50,000.

Scope

This statement applies to all employees of Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council employed under the conditions of service of the following bodies:

• National Joint Council for Local Government Services
• Joint Negotiating Committee for Chief Officers of Local Authorities
• Joint Negotiating Committee for Local Authority Chief Executives

About the council 

The council has approximately 420 staff across three service areas. The Chief Executive and Directors are the council’s Strategic Leadership Team which lead the work that provide services across Hinckley and Bosworth. View the senior management structure

Definitions 

For the purposes of this pay policy statement the following definitions apply. 

Remuneration

This includes three elements:

• Basic salary
• Pension
• And any other allowances 

Chief officers

Under the Localism Act 2011 a chief officer is defined as:

• Head of Paid Service (under S.4 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989)
• Monitoring Officer (designated under section 5(1) of that act)
• A statutory chief officer mentioned in 2(6) of that act
• A non-statutory chief officer mentioned in 2(7) of that act
• A deputy chief officer mentioned in section 2(8) of that act (for the purpose of this policy these are service managers that report to a director)

In Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council this definition would apply to the following posts: Chief Executive, Director (Corporate & Streetscene Services) and Director (Community & Development Services).

Lowest paid employees

The first pay point on the councils pay and grading structure is Grade 1 (Point 1) which is £11.50 per hour and is defined as the lowest point within the council.  

However, the Council has made a commitment to pay all staff, as a minimum, Grade 2 (Point 3) which is £11.78 per hour. This is above the current National Living Wage rate of £10.42 and the increased rate of £11.44 from the 1 April 2024.

Pay multiple

The ‘pay multiple’ - the ratio between the highest paid salary and the median average salary of the Council’s workforce is 4.26:1 compared to last year which was 4.82:1. The multiplier is monitored each year and the gap between the top earner and the median average earner, has positively reduced compared to this time last year. 

Pay structure

Basic pay is paid in accordance with the evaluated grade of each post. 

Chief Executive

The Chief Executive is paid a fixed salary. 

Directors and Head of Service

Pay and grading is evaluated using the Local Government Senior Manager Job Evaluation Scheme. The pay grade and range for both Directors and Heads of Service is attached at Appendix 1. 

Employees under National Joint Council (NJC) terms and conditions

For this group the pay and grading is evaluated using the National Joint Council Job Evaluation Scheme. The council's local pay structure is attached at Appendix 3. 

Pay award

The council’s pay and grading structure is adjusted by a ‘cost of living’ increase agreed nationally by the three bodies that represent staff at the council, this includes JNC for chief officers, JNC for chief executives and NJC for local government services (for staff below this level). The current pay award for all employees covers the period up to March 2024.

Negotiations have not yet started to discuss the cost of living pay award for 2024/25 (the period of this Pay Policy). 

Market supplements

The council recognises that pressures in the national or regional labour market can mean that pay levels for particular posts can be such that the council’s normal pay levels for particular posts can be such that the Council’s normal pay level would not be sufficiently competitive to enable it to recruit or retain that post. Market supplements may be considered, and this is subject to meeting strict criteria and Strategic Leadership Team approval. If approved, market supplements are awarded for a two-year period. 

Starting pay

All employees, including senior employees, will normally be appointed to the minimum point of the grade for the job. 

In certain cases it may be appropriate to appoint to a higher point of the pay grade. This may arise when, for example, the preferred candidate for the job is or has been, in receipt of a salary at a higher level than the grade minimum.

Pay progression

All employees receive annual increments until the top of the development point is reached. The final increment, above the development point on each grade, is subject to outstanding performance.

Additional payments

Employees are eligible to receive enhancements for working on public holidays.

Employees grade one to five who work additional hours are eligible to paid overtime for those hours worked. Employees grade six or above (including senior management) are not eligible to be paid but may receive time off in lieu.

Employees required to participate in a standby rota due to the nature of their job will receive a daily allowance plus overtime rates for call out. 

Senior employee pay – Local Government Transparency Code

Senior management remuneration is set out in Appendix 3. Performance related pay and bonuses, including lease cars, do not form part of senior employee’s pay within the council. 

Protection of earnings policy 

The council’s policy on protection of earnings applies to all employees of the council and provides protection for an employee’s basic bay where it is reduced as a result of:

• Redeployment into a suitable alternative vacancy where an employee is at risk or under notice of redundancy
• Redeployment into a suitable alternative vacancy on health grounds
• The introduction of a revised pay and grading system

The period of pay protection is for a period of up to two years from the date of change to basic pay. 

Termination of employment  

Early retirement (efficiency of service)

The Local Government Pension Scheme allows employers certain discretionary powers, but the council’s usual policy is not to enhance pension benefits for any employee. Therefore, there are no provisions for employees to seek early retirement on the grounds of efficiency of the service, although this could be considered on a case by case basis.

Redundancy

The council has a single redundancy scheme which applies to all employees. Redundancy payments are calculated in accordance with the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the 2006 Discretionary compensation regulations and are based on the employee’s age, length of continuous service and salary. 

The council does not usually provide any further payment to employees leaving the council’s employment other than in respect of accrued annual leave.

Re-engagement 

Employees who have been made redundant are eligible to apply for vacancies which may arise after they have left the council’s employment. Any such applications will be considered together with those from other candidates and the best person appointed to the post. 

Where a senior manager, as defined under paragraph 4, has left the council on redundancy grounds, the authority will not re-employ at a later stage or re-engage as a consultant.  

Publication and access to information

This statement will be published on this website, together with the council’s pay and grading structure and information relating to senior management remuneration. 

‎Last updated: ‎01/03/2024 13:20