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PAY POLICY STATEMENT 2023/24

DERBYSHIRE FIRE & RESCUE AUTHORITY
30 MARCH 2023
JOINT REPORT OF MONITORING OFFICER AND TREASURER

PAY POLICY STATEMENT 2023/24

1. Purpose of Report

  1. To present and seek Member approval to the Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2023/24.

2. Recommendation

  1. That Members approve the Pay Policy Statement 2023/24 as at Appendix 1.

3. Information and Analysis

Policy overview

  1. Our Pay Policy Statement sets out our pay and conditions for senior managers and employees. This Pay Policy Statement is for 2023/24 (Appendix 1).
  2. We aim to attract and retain employees to deliver our objectives. We are committed to ensuring a fair and transparent approach in determining pay policy. We recognise that we may need other methods for different groups of employees. These will need to reflect factors such as difficulties in attracting and retaining critical skills.
  3. Principles:
    • To be fair, reasonable and transparent
    • To be affordable
    • To reward employees for their contribution to our achievements
    • To maintain rates of pay which are both competitive in the marketplace and reflect the need to retain critical skills
  4. The Pay Policy Statement has been reviewed in light of clarification in respect of:
    • The National Living Wage for 2023
    • Pay Awards
    • Pension regulations
    • Gender Pay Gap reporting regulations
  5. The local Brigade Managers’ Pay Review has been postponed pending the outcome of the National Pay Reviews for 2022 and 2023 which are not yet concluded.

4. Legal Considerations

  1. This report is prepared in accordance with the requirements set out in the Localism Act 2011 and accompanying guidance.
  2. Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Authority (the Authority) is required by section 38(1) of the Localism Act 2011 to prepare pay policy statements. These statements must explain the Authority’s own policies towards a range of issues relating to the pay of its workforce, particularly its senior staff (or ‘chief officers’) and its lowest paid employees. Section 38(4) requires authorities to set out in their pay policy statements their approach to the publication of and access to information relating to the remuneration of chief officers.
  3. Pay policy statements must be prepared for each financial year. They must be approved by the Authority by the end of March each year and published.

5. Financial Considerations

  1. The Service’s People Strategy links pay and reward to improved performance to provide the best service with the resources available.
  2. The People Strategy is supported by an annual workforce action plan which seeks to support further improvements in our Service performance through developing our people: equipping them with the necessary skills, abilities and behaviours to deliver in current and future environments. The Strategy seeks to support people in identifying and implementing new ideas and better ways of working, in how we do our jobs, and to work more collaboratively with each other and our partners.

6. Inclusion and Equality Considerations

  1. There should be fair and equitable consideration of pay and remuneration in accordance with agreements with National Joint Council (NJC) the negotiating body for workers in local government.
  2. Brigade Managers covered by the ‘Gold book’ Constitution and scheme of conditions of service, are entitled to no less favourable terms than employees covered by the ‘Grey book’ Constitution and scheme of conditions of service.

This report has been consulted upon and approved by the following officers:

Strategic Leadership Team – 15.3.23

Contact Officer:                                                                              Contact No:

Louise Taylor, Solicitor/Monitoring Officer                                  Tel: 01773 305305
Mark Nash, Treasurer/Head of Corporate Financial Services            

Background Papers:

Appendix 1