Most local councils complete job evaluation exercise

PUBLIC SECTOR

Most local councils complete job evaluation exercise

A survey by Incomes Data Services finds that progress towards single status in local government remains slow with the majority of councils yet to implement local harmonised pay and grading structures. But most councils have completed the job evaluation process.

Key findings

• Two-fifths of councils have completed moves to a local harmonised pay and grading structure.
• Most respondents have completed job evaluation. Just under two-fifths (24 councils) have chosen the NJC scheme, while ten have opted for Hay.
• As many as 27 of the 70 councils have decided what a new local pay/grading scheme will look like -- the most popular structure is one based on narrow bands.
• Less than a third of respondents have conducted an "equality impact assessment" (to ensure pay and grading reviews deal with all aspects of discrimination) and one in seven have conducted an equal pay audit.

Obstacles to implementation of single status

As the majority of councils are still to implement a local harmonised pay and grading structure, this suggests there are obstacle to the local implementation of single status. Says IDS: "Respondents to our survey most frequently mentioned the cost of implementation as a major stumbling block. Nine councils mentioned difficulties in finding agreement with trade unions."

Other frequently mentioned difficulties were the pressures on time and resources and having other priorities.

Single status in local government The 1997 single-status agreement in local government was supposed to signal the end to distinctions between manual and white-collar employees. The need to deal with the pressing issue of equal pay for work of equal value was another important motivation for the agreement. Key elements of the accord were as follows: Established a single national pay spine for both manual and non-manual employees (upon which council-level grading structures must be based) and basic provisions on issues such as working time and leave. Provided for a standard 37-hour week for all employees from April 1999. Employer and union representatives jointly developed a bespoke job evaluation scheme designed to help local managers and employee representatives position a huge range of blue and white-collar jobs within a common grading structure. Assigned the task of creating harmonised pay and grading structures to councils and unions at local level.

Want to know more?

Title: "Local government pay benchmarking survey", IDS Report 921, January 2005, Incomes Data Services.

Methodology: Overall, 70 councils responded to the fifth annual IDS survey on pay in local government, conducted in October/November 2004. Of these, 63 responses were from councils in England and Wales, together employing a total of around 423,000 staff six responses were from Scottish authorities employing a combined workforce of 40,500 staff. There was also one response from Northern Ireland.

Availability: Call IDS customer services in London, tel: 020 7324 2599.

Incomes Data Services is an independent research organisation providing information and analysis on pay, conditions, pensions, employment law and personnel policy and practice in the UK and rest of Europe. For more information about IDS jump to www.incomesdata.co.uk

Posted 4 February 2005