Agenda item

To consider the report and propose the draft Pay Policy Statement to the Council, be approved for 2026/27.

DECISION:

·        That the Appointments Committee proposes the Pay Policy Statement (draft) to the Full Council on 5 March 2026, for adoption for 2026/27.

·        Call upon the Chief Executive to undertake an internal review of Senior Officers' salaries as a means of ensuring sustainability, and report back to the Committee when the work has been completed.

·        Request a review of subsistence allowances – to be considered as an addendum to the 2027 pay policy.

Note:

·        Point 4 of the Pay Policy: Posts below Chief Officer level - need to extend the explanation of the sentence on ratios and include more detail on the ratios between the higher and lower salaries (full-time). A request to modify the report before its submission to the Full Council.

DECISION:

·        That the Appointments Committee proposes the Pay Policy Statement (draft) to the Full Council on 5 March 2026, for adoption for 2026/27.

·        Call upon the Chief Executive to undertake an internal review of Senior Officers' salaries as a means of ensuring sustainability, and report back to the Committee when the work has been completed.

·        Request a review of subsistence allowances – to be considered as an addendum to the 2027 pay policy.

Note:

·        Point 4 of the Pay Policy: Posts below Chief Officer level - need to extend the explanation of the sentence on ratios and include more detail on the ratios between the higher and lower salaries (full-time). A request to modify the report before its submission to the Full Council.

A report was presented by the Chief Executive stating that since 2012 all Councils had a statutory duty to prepare an annual Pay Policy Statement with an expectation for the Chief Officers Appointment Committee to undertake an annual review of the sustainability of the policy, and to submit any recommendations following the review of the Pay Policy to the Full Council annually. 

The Chief Executive highlighted that it was good practice to have an annual overview of the policy and to publish the working conditions of staff in accordance with the requirements of the Act. It was noted that discussions and negotiations regarding annual pay rises occurred outside the Council - Chief Officers' pay was determined by the Joint Negotiating Committee for Chief Officers, and the National Joint Council for Local Government Services determined salaries below chief officer level. 

In July 2025, the unions representing chief officers, and the employer agreed a 3.2% increase on each chief officer's annual salary and later in the summer, a 3.2% increase on each staff member's annual salary was agreed. It was also agreed to remove point 2 from the pay structure, which was to come into effect from April 2026.

Gratitude was expressed for the report.

Observations arising from the ensuing discussion:

·       concern about losing officers to neighbouring authorities

·       the explanation of the sentence on ratios needed to be extended, and more information included between the higher and lower pay ratios (full-time)

·       a need for more information on subsistence allowances – a need to be transparent.

In response to a question about chief officers' salaries and how the levels were determined, given the wide range in salaries, and when were the salaries last reviewed, the Chief Executive stated that chief officers' pay levels were determined, assessed and reviewed by External Assessors from the Korn Ferry company and that an assessment was carried out when a senior officer needed to be appointed to a vacancy/new post. He added that an internal review of the salaries, which compared the salaries of chief officers with the equivalent salaries of neighbouring authorities, had been implemented about three years ago, but it would be timely to conduct an internal review. He stated that this would be a means of ensuring sustainability, and that he would report back to the Committee when the work had been completed.

In response to a question regarding the expected period for a chief officer to take on additional responsibility/shoulder a burden, it was noted that the Council sought  to avoid a situation of allocating additional responsibilities as that was not sustainable in the medium/long term. There would be encouragement to appraise a post if the functions/responsibilities continued to increase or were considered to be a permanent arrangement. An appraisal would be carried out using an external methodology that looked at the responsibilities of the post, equivalent jobs in Gwynedd and job delivery factors. However, although all Councils used the same methodology, the salary range might differ, with Gwynedd's pay scales appearing lower than those of neighbouring councils.

In response to a request for the salaries of neighbouring councils and the rationale for some of the workforce leaving for those councils, it was noted that Gwynedd would consider appraising posts with a view to establishing a moderation panel to look at consistency, comparisons, job titles and the competitive element with other organisations/councils. It was reiterated that the results of the Gwynedd Staff Survey, which provided a key opportunity for all colleagues to submit anonymous feedback and opinions on whether the Council was a good place to work, would be available shortly.

It was proposed and seconded that the Council adopted the Pay Policy Statement (draft) 

RESOLVED

·       That the Appointments Committee proposes the Pay Policy Statement (draft) to the Full Council on 5 March 2026, for adoption for 2026/27.

·       To call upon the Chief Executive to undertake an internal review of Senior Officers' salaries as a means of ensuring sustainability, and to report back to the Committee when the work has been completed.

·       To request a review of subsistence allowances – to be considered as an addendum to the 2027 pay policy.

Note:

·       Point 4 of the Pay Policy: Posts below Chief Officer level - a need to extend the explanation of the sentence on ratios and include more information between the higher and lower pay ratios (full-time). Request to modify the report before its submission to the Full Council.