The Employment Committee of Leicestershire County Council met on Thursday, 10 September 2026, to discuss and approve the Pay Policy Statement for 2027/28 and the National Joint Council (NJC) and Chief Executive pay awards for 2026-2027. The committee also reviewed workforce updates, health and safety reports, and the implementation of the Working Arrangements Policy.

Pay Policy Statement 2027/28

The committee approved the Pay Policy Statement for 2027/28 for submission to the Full County Council. This statement outlines the council's approach to employee pay, including the remuneration of chief officers, lowest-paid employees, and the relationship between their pay and that of other staff. The statement confirms that the lowest pay point for employees on Grade 2, Pay Point 1, is £13.28 per hour, exceeding the National Living Wage. It also details the council's pay and grading structure, which uses the Hay Job Evaluation Scheme, and confirms that the current pay award of 3.3% for employees up to Grade 17 and for Chief Executives will be applied. The pay multiple, the ratio between the highest paid employee and the median average salary, was reported as 1:5.99 as of 31 March 2026.

National Joint Council Pay Award and Chief Executive Pay Award 2026-2027

The committee approved the implementation of the NJC pay award for employees in Grades 2-17 and the JNC Chief Executive pay award for Grade 22, both at 3.3%. This award is effective from 1 April 2026 and will be implemented in the September payroll, with backdated pay. The committee also noted the action taken to implement the JNC for Chief Officers' pay award for Grades 18-21, which had already been actioned in July 2026.

Workforce Update 2026-2027 Quarter 1

The committee received an update on the council's workforce for the first quarter of the 2026-2027 financial year. The report highlighted a decrease in headcount by 72 employees, but an increase in Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions by 127.96, indicating that while there are fewer employees, the contracted workforce capacity has increased. This trend was attributed to changes in working patterns, the balance between full-time and part-time roles, and structural service changes. Sickness absence remained above the council's target of 7.5 days per FTE, averaging 8.98 days lost per FTE in June 2026. The Adults and Cultural Services department had the highest departmental absence rate at 4.09%. Stress, depression, and mental health continued to be the leading causes of long-term sickness absence. The council's absence rate was noted to compare favourably with some external benchmarks, such as the NHS.

Working Arrangements Policy - Implementation Update

An update was provided on the implementation of the council's new Working Arrangements Policy, which came into effect on 31 May 2026. The policy aims to ensure that working arrangements support service delivery, employee performance, and appropriate visibility as a public service provider, while retaining flexibility. Managers were responsible for determining working arrangements based on service requirements and individual circumstances, with a focus on consistent application. The policy preserves the statutory right to request flexible working and the duty to consider reasonable adjustments for disabled employees. The implementation process involved engagement with trade unions and support for managers and staff. Future updates to the committee will be provided by exception.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing Annual Report 2025-2026

The committee received the annual report on health, safety, and wellbeing performance for 2025-2026. The report detailed 1,685 incidents, including 806 injuries and 20 RIDDOR-reportable incidents. There was a 45% increase in reported near misses, which was seen as a positive indicator of improved risk identification. Compliance with mandatory health and safety training has improved, with Management of Health and Safety training at 77% and Health and Safety Essentials at 91%. The Wellbeing Service supported 308 employees, delivering 2,808 sessions, with work-related stress remaining the most prevalent issue. The report was noted, and the work of the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Service was endorsed.

Review of Employment Committee Terms of Reference and Work Programme

The committee discussed a proposal to refocus its work programme to align more closely with its constitutional duties, concentrating on matters requiring member decision or assurance. This would involve moving away from regular consideration of routine operational workforce data, unless it identifies significant organisational risk. The committee agreed to approve this decision and assurance-based approach, revising its Terms of Reference, work programme, and report templates accordingly. A motion was also passed requesting a future report on options to review the council's pay policy, including its involvement in national pay negotiations and sick pay arrangements.

Organisational Change Policy and Procedure: Action Plans

The committee noted the update on current Action Plans containing provision for compulsory redundancy and details of their implementation progress. The report indicated that for the School Food Service Management and Administration plan, 8 compulsory redundancies were predicted, and for the Children & Families - Early Years Inclusion and Childcare Service (CET) plan, 15 were predicted. Updates on completed and ongoing action plans were provided in appendices.

The next meeting of the committee was scheduled for 10 December 2026 at 2:00 pm.