Meetings

NDM6171 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Regrets the gap between the highest and the lowest paid workers in Welsh local authorities and the wider public sector.

2. Notes Plaid Cymru's success in forcing the Welsh Government to amend the Local Democracy Act during the fourth Assembly to include measures that have improved transparency in how senior officers pay is decided through the establishment of independent remuneration panels.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

(a) legislate to introduce nationally set pay scales and terms and conditions to control senior and chief officer pay through a national framework which would ensure fair pay for all public sector workers in Wales; and

(b) define the role of local authorities chief executives in legislation which would include abolishing additional payments to council officials for returning officer duties.

'Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013'

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1. Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)
 
Delete point 2 and replace with:

Notes the requirement of the Local Democracy Act, which includes measures that have improved transparency in how senior officers' pay is decided through the broadening of the powers of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.

[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be de-selected]

Amendment 2. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Delete point 2, and replace with:

Recognises Welsh Conservative proposals, which called on the Welsh Government to place a binding limit on senior office holder salaries to ensure that local authorities enforce effective caps on pay.

Amendment 3. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)
 
Delete Point 3 and replace with:

Calls on the Welsh Government to consider legislation introduced in other Commonwealth jurisdictions, which has enshrined the responsibilities of local government chief executives in law, such as Section 94 A of the Australian Local Government Act 1989.
 
'Australian Local Government Act 1989'

[If amendment 3 is agreed, amendment 4 will be de-selected]

Amendment 4. Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)
 
In point 3, delete sub-point (a) and replace with:

work with social partners to develop a national framework which would ensure fair pay for devolved public sector workers in Wales; and

Amendment 5. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)
 
Add as a new point at the end of the motion:

Notes the evidence heard by the Public Accounts Committee, which saw stakeholders call for a correlation between senior management pay and organisational performance, as a key indicator in providing value for money.
 
'Public Accounts Committee transcript: 13 May 2014'
 
Amendment 6. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)
 
Add as new point at end of motion:

Further notes the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers' submission to the UK Government's Communities and Local Government Select Committee Inquiry into Local Government Chief Officer Remuneration in January 2014, which acknowledged that since 2010, a number of local authorities have started to share chief executives and senior management teams, to further drive cost saving measures.
 
'Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers' submission to the UK Government's Communities and Local Government Select Committee Inquiry into Local Government Chief Officer Remuneration'

 

The item started at 16.53

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM6171 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Regrets the gap between the highest and the lowest paid workers in Welsh local authorities and the wider public sector.

2. Notes Plaid Cymru's success in forcing the Welsh Government to amend the Local Democracy Act during the fourth Assembly to include measures that have improved transparency in how senior officers pay is decided through the establishment of independent remuneration panels.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

(a) legislate to introduce nationally set pay scales and terms and conditions to control senior and chief officer pay through a national framework which would ensure fair pay for all public sector workers in Wales; and

(b) define the role of local authorities chief executives in legislation which would include abolishing additional payments to council officials for returning officer duties.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
7	4	34	45

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1. Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan) 

Delete point 2 and replace with:

Notes the requirement of the Local Democracy Act, which includes measures that have improved transparency in how senior officers' pay is decided through the broadening of the powers of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
28	0	17	45

Amendment 1 was agreed.

As Amendment 1 was agreed, Amendment 2 was de-selected.

Amendment 3. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Delete Point 3 and replace with:

Calls on the Welsh Government to consider legislation introduced in other Commonwealth jurisdictions, which has enshrined the responsibilities of local government chief executives in law, such as Section 94 A of the Australian Local Government Act 1989.

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
14	0	31	45

Amendment 3 was not agreed.

Amendment 4. Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan) 

In point 3, delete sub-point (a) and replace with:

work with social partners to develop a national framework which would ensure fair pay for devolved public sector workers in Wales; and

A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
24	4	17	45

Amendment 4 was agreed.

Amendment 5. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Add as a new point at the end of the motion:

Notes the evidence heard by the Public Accounts Committee, which saw stakeholders call for a correlation between senior management pay and organisational performance, as a key indicator in providing value for money.

A vote was taken on Amendment 5:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
45	0	0	45

Amendment 5 was agreed.

Amendment 6. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Further notes the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers' submission to the UK Government's Communities and Local Government Select Committee Inquiry into Local Government Chief Officer Remuneration in January 2014, which acknowledged that since 2010, a number of local authorities have started to share chief executives and senior management teams, to further drive cost saving measures.

A vote was taken on Amendment 6:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
38	0	7	45

Amendment 6 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM6171 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Regrets the gap between the highest and the lowest paid workers in Welsh local authorities and the wider public sector.

2. Notes the requirement of the Local Democracy Act, which includes measures that have improved transparency in how senior officers' pay is decided through the broadening of the powers of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

(a) work with social partners to develop a national framework which would ensure fair pay for devolved public sector workers in Wales; and

(b) define the role of local authorities chief executives in legislation which would include abolishing additional payments to council officials for returning officer duties.

4. Notes the evidence heard by the Public Accounts Committee, which saw stakeholders call for a correlation between senior management pay and organisational performance, as a key indicator in providing value for money.

5. Further notes the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers' submission to the UK Government's Communities and Local Government Select Committee Inquiry into Local Government Chief Officer Remuneration in January 2014, which acknowledged that since 2010, a number of local authorities have started to share chief executives and senior management teams, to further drive cost saving measures.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
38	0	7	45

The motion as amended was agreed.