Caerphilly Council workers on the lowest wages could see their pay increase by 25p an hour.
In October last year, employees on minimum wage saw their wages go up to £7.20 an hour – the rate considered to be the Living Wage – but they will now get a further boost to £7.45.
Cabinet councillors agreed the move provisionally last week, and the decision will now go to full council to decide on February 27.
If approved, the rise will also be backdated to November 2012, which was the date the Living Wage was increased.
The ‘Living Wage‘ is a concept calculated on the cost of basic living.
Cllr Keith Reynolds, Deputy Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, said, “We are committed to improving impacts of poverty across the county borough. Increasing the rate of pay for the Living Wage would set an example to other employers in the area, and will encourage more businesses to follow our lead in reducing the number of people living under the poverty line in our county borough.”
Cllr Chris Forehead, Cabinet Member for HR and Governance added, “Of our 9,000 employees, approximately 3,000 are paid the current living wage. An increase of 25p per hour would significantly benefit the lives of these employees and their families.”
This is great news for the lowest paid local authority workers in the borough. Since the 2012 local elections, which resulted in a big increase of Labour – controlled councils, the number of authorities implementing the living wage has risen dramatically. Caerphilly was the first council in Wales to lead the way. There was never any mention of implementing the Living wage in Caerphilly under Plaid.
Here we go. Let's try to make good of the scandal by pretend to stick up for the lowest paid. This is a joke. After all the efforts of the LABOUR imposed job evaluation you now have workers being paid as much as supervisors. Labour are such a joke – when they've bankrupt the council their work will be done. Disgraceful party.
Bet they aren't taking the cash from the extra which Labour gave the department heads …
Clive, you should be reminded that, at present, we are all led to believe, that Plaid Cymru also voted for the increases in pay to the senior officers, NOT JUST LABOUR COUNCILLORS. Plaid Cymru certainly did so at the Full Council meeting which ratified the `Gang of Five`,decision, and, it has yet to be established by an official Commissioner investigation if the Plaid Cymru Deputy Leader failed to support the decision as a member of the ` Gang of Five` Panel. He say`s he didn`t support it, whilst everyone else attending that panel meeting say`s he did support it, and that includes the Council`s Chief Executive Anthony O`Sullivan and the council`s Solicitor Danial Perkins.
Is Clive saying that Plaid Cymru DO NOT SUPPORT the decision to pay Council staff the living Wage????
If Colin is a Plaid supporter/ member,or Councillor, and who knows except him?, and he does appear to by disingenuous in his referral to Labour Councillors.