The Employment Committee of Hertfordshire Council met on 14 August 2025 to discuss and approve the salary review for the chief executive, executive directors, directors, and heads of service. The committee agreed to increase all pay points on relevant job family levels for executive directors in line with the National Joint Council (NJC) pay award for April 2025 and recommended the same for directors and heads of service. They also agreed to increase all pay points on the relevant job family level for the chief executive by the same value as agreed for the other senior managers.

Senior manager pay review

The committee reviewed the salaries for executive directors, directors, and heads of service, and agreed to increase all pay points on relevant job family levels for executive directors (Organisational Leadership Levels 19-20) in line with the NJC pay award for April 2025. They also recommended to the chief executive that all pay points on relevant job family levels for directors (Organisational Leadership Levels 17-18) and heads of service (Organisational Leadership Levels 15-16) be increased and backdated to April 2025, in line with the outcome of the NJC pay award.

Emily Austin, Senior HR Manager, presented the report on the salary review, explaining that it is an annual report presented to the committee to look at the possibility of an award for these roles, with the effective date being 1 April. She reminded the committee that each year, consideration is given to the payroll for the Local Department of Workers under the National Human Council, which was recently agreed at 3.2% to be invited in the 1st of April.

The report noted that the cost of living remains high, but in real terms, the pay rates remain better than the labs. It also stated that public sector pay rates for the NHS and civil services sector have been around 3.5% to 5% this year. The committee considered benchmarking data against five neighbouring councils and median benchmarking data for the public sector in East London. The benchmarking showed that the council's ranges are within or have close proximity to those neighbouring.

The report recommended that all paid points within the levels for the roles are made equal to 3.2%, which is one of those national assets. The proposal was budgeted at 2.8% in terms of the integrated plan, which would have cost about £378,000. However, with the national set of minimum 3.2%, the cost will be about £432,000, a difference of about £70,000.

Councillor Nigel Bell, Leader, Labour Group, asked whether the NHS and public sector rates of 3.5% to 5% had been modelled as well. Emily Austin, Senior HR Manager, responded that the council had committed to following the 3.2% in terms of the actions that you haven't.

Councillor Richard Roberts, Leader, Conservative Group, sought confirmation that the review of salaries would include a review of the benchmarking data, as some areas appeared to be at the upper end and some at the lower end.

Councillor Kirsty Taylor-Moran, Leader, Green Group, supported the NJC award of 3.2%.

The committee agreed to the recommendations set out in part one of the Salary Review April 2025: Executive Directors, Directors and Heads of Service report, which related to the executive directors, and recommended to the chief executive in relation to the decision for directors and paid service.

Chief executive pay review

The committee agreed to increase all pay points on the relevant job family level for the chief executive (Organisational Leadership Level 21) by the same value as agreed for the executive directors, directors and heads of service, in line with the outcome of the NJC pay award for April 2025.

Richard Taylor, Director of People, presented the Salary Review April 2025: Chief Executive report, which recommended that the chief executive's salary be increased by the same percentage as the other senior managers. The report noted that the chief executive's current salary is approximately £20,000 higher than the average of neighbouring councils, showing that the council's salary for this role remains competitive.

The report stated that the recommendation is above the budget assumptions included in the 2025/26 budget and the approved integrated plan, which budgeted 2.8% for all pay inflation. However, as this is only one role, the additional cost pressure is very minimal, i.e. less than £1,000 more than what had been budgeted.

A councillor asked how the budget impact would be taken into account for the units. It was explained that the relevant directors would expect to solve that budget pressure within existing budgets, essentially addressing them.

Another councillor commented that the council has always followed the NJC awards, and it's just, obviously, a challenging role.

A councillor asked whether the chief executive's performance meant that 100% or how's that probably. It was clarified that there's no performance-related pay element. The chief executive's performance has been seen to be performing.

A councillor requested a layout of all the percentages for the major top staff, showing how much are 100% they're performing over the last year. It was agreed that this information would be provided, including performance distribution sheets showing the top executives and distribution curves for all offices.

Councillor Nigel Bell, Leader, Labour Group, noted that there was not an increase in the chip and that we've paid lots of the initiative in the appointing. He added that the recent chief executive recruitment process was a fair indication as to the level of pay that is needed to offer in terms of them pretty big for the right calibre.