Birkdale Lib Dem councillor Simon Shaw has welcomed the news that Labour-controlled Sefton Council plan to review the role of multi-national management consultants Hay Group in deciding the annual pay rises awarded to the most senior staff.
The current controversial policy states that, in relation to the 50 most senior officers on salaries of between £46,700 and £139,900 a year, “the HAY Group are consulted as to what is an appropriate pay rise”. This includes reporting on comparable private sector senior pay rises.
According to Lib Dem research this approach is unique compared to other neighbouring councils, all of whom merely follow the National Joint Council line on pay, as agreed nationally between local government employers and the unions.
At the January Sefton Council meeting the controlling Labour Group voted down a Lib Dem attempt to delete the Hay Group’s involvement on the Council’s Pay Policy. However since then Council Leader Ian Mayer has announced a change of heart on Hay, saying “We will be reviewing their role as we almost invariably stick to the National Joint Council recommendations.”
Cllr Simon Shaw commented: “It’s good news that the Labour Group are finally seeing sense over this. The only regret is that they didn’t agree when I first flagged up the issue a month ago”
“How could they ever justify paying the private sector Hay Group, who describe themselves as a global management consulting firm, to tell them how much more private sector bosses are being paid, and what the ‘appropriate pay rise’ should be for Sefton Council’s most senior staff.”
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