This meeting will include the Human Resources Committee’s latest recruitment and retention data, the Council’s draft Pay Policy Statement 2025/26, and a report on recent changes to Senior Leadership recruitment.

Recruitment and Retention

The Recruitment and Retention Report notes that the council’s headcount has increased from the previous year. There has been a reduction in staff turnover and an increase in the number of internal promotions. The report outlines some of the reasons people gave for joining, and leaving, the council this year. It also examines the effectiveness of the council’s recruitment practices when it comes to attracting applicants, and making offers of employment to, people from different backgrounds. Finally, the report describes some of the council’s plans to improve its recruitment and retention in future.

The council’s employee experience survey for starters indicates that 97% of new starters agreed that they are happy in their job and 95% feel able and supported to be themselves in the workplace.

Draft Pay Policy Statement 2025/26

The committee will be asked to consider a Draft Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26 which will set the pay of council staff from 1 April 2025. The report explains that, in line with the Council’s policy of paying the Real Living Wage, the minimum wage for employees will be £12.60. The statement also describes how the pay of the council’s highest-paid employees is calculated.

The Council’s highest-paid employees are the Chief Executive, Executive Directors and Directors. These roles are graded independently of the Council using the Hay methodology and the salaries are informed by market data and updated in line with national pay awards.

The report also considers the ratio between the pay of the highest-paid council employees, and that of the lowest-paid.

The Council’s policy is that the pay of the highest paid employee should be no more than 10 times that of the lowest full time equivalent paid employee.

An appendix to the Draft Pay Policy Statement addresses the employment and pay of interim workers and consultants. It describes the rules that determine whether such workers should be added to the council’s payroll, or paid “off-payroll” by an agency.

In these circumstances, the council is responsible for assessing whether “off-payroll working rules” apply. These rules are designed to ensure that agency workers or consultants are classified as “employed for tax purposes” if they are working like an employee.

Senior Leadership Recruitment Update

A report on Senior Leadership Recruitment will be presented to the committee. The report explains the reasons behind the recent decision to create a new Executive Director: Housing role, and explains how the recruitment process will be conducted.

The recommendations from this review included the creation of a housing department and the creation of a new role of Executive Director: Housing.