Labour councillors on Caerphilly County Borough Council have apologised for the way a decision to give pay rises of up to 30% to senior managers was made.
They have also agreed to Plaid Cymru’s suggestion to investigate ways to reverse the pay hike.
Group leaders met on Tuesday night and after a five-hour meeting released the following statement:
“The Labour leadership of Caerphilly Council apologise, accept and wholly understand the concerns expressed by staff, trade unions and members of the public for the recent senior remuneration pay decision by a unanimous vote of a cross-party delegated committee.
“Following a meeting of the Labour group, it was agreed that the Labour leadership arrange an urgent meeting before Christmas with all of the trade unions to discuss and review the decision-making process that led to the outcome, and that the leadership investigate the possibility of rescinding the decision based upon independent legal advice.
“In future the full council will decide on remuneration levels for senior managers. The council leadership recognises values and thoroughly appreciates the contribution of staff at all levels of the organisation.”
Before the meeting, 100 staff members protested outside the council’s headquarters in Ystrad Mynach – led by workers’ unions Unison and the GMB.
Gary Enright, Unison Caerphilly Branch Secretary, responding to this statement said: “This statement by the Labour Group is a step in the right direction, and sets the platform for future engagement with this administration. It is testament and commendable that this administration apologise, accept and wholly understand the concerns expressed by staff, trade unions and members of the public.
“Unison is fully committed to engaging with all stakeholders to negotiate the rescinding of this pay deal. I would like to praise all that participated in this unprecedented show of solidarity which has confirmed the essential role that trade unions play in our communities. This is a victory for fair play and people power.”
Prior to the meeting, Labour councillor Hefin David led a group of fellow councillors out to meet protesters and promised to represent their concerns – a move welcomed by the union.
Councillor Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly County Borough Council, said Labour’s apology was too late.
He said: “The apology by the out-of-touch Labour leadership is at least a week too late but I’m pleased that they appear to have finally seen sense over these fat-cat pay increases for top council officers. The rises proposed were and are still utterly unacceptable, particularly at a time when council workers have seen their pay frozen for three years.
“I hope the Labour group will now pursue the rescinding of this decision, which has caused so much outrage, as a matter of urgency. There must be no delaying tactics – action is needed now, not in several months. We will be watching what happens very closely.
“I would like to pay tribute to the stand taken against the absurdity of these increases by the trade unions, council employees and the public, also my own members in the Plaid group and Independent councillors.
“I also welcome the fact that salary levels for senior managers will in future be decided by the full council and not in secret by a few select councillors.
“I totally reject the suggestion of a unanimous vote in the sub committee. I want to make it absolutely clear that our representative on the remuneration committee, James Fussell, did not put his hand up in favour of these huge increases which were pushed through by the four Labour members of the committee, which who were Christine Forehead |(chair of the committee), Keith Reynolds, Gerald Jones and David Poole.”
Last week it was revealed that council chief executive Anthony O’Sullivan was one of 20 senior bosses awarded pay increases at a secret meeting of five councillors in September. His salary is now believed to be around £158,000, a £35,000 increase on previously published figures. A chief officer once on £71,000 now appears, under the new pay structure, to have had an increase to more than £99,000.
Caerphilly’s Labour MP Wayne David has welcomed the re-think from his Labour colleagues.
He said: “I am very pleased that the Council’s Labour Group has recognised the strength of feeling amongst the general public and council employees. I had received many emails from constituents who were extremely concerned about the decision. I shared their concern.
“I am sure that if it is legally possible to reverse the initial decision, it will be reversed. The Labour Group, having listened to the people, must now begin the urgent task of rebuilding the confidence and trust of the people of the Caerphilly Borough.”
Some small progress appears to have been made but this statement still provides plenty of 'wriggle room'. I joined with the protest of the council workers for a short time and talked to several of them. Their anger is apparent and justified.
My fear is that the legal advice will be couched in such terms that it will appear that the pay rises cannot be clawed back. This may be seized upon by the Labour leadership to try and defuse the anger of both council workers and voters throughout the borough.
We shall see what happens but this story has a long way to run yet, I predict.