Meeting documents

The Executive
Tuesday, 29 April 2003

EX290403-11

Return to Agenda

ITEM EX11

EXECUTIVE - 29 APRIL 2003

JOB EVALUATION FOR COUNTY COUNCIL EMPLOYEES

Report by Director for Resources

  1. The Executive on 18 February reviewed progress of the Job Evaluation project for "Green Book" employees and endorsed a series of principles for consultation with Unison. A further report was promised on the outcome of consultations and a ballot which Unison proposed to undertake of its members.
  2. The Unison ballot took place during March on the basis of a draft Joint Agreement which was the original prototype of that now attached at Annex 1. The result was overwhelmingly positive at approximately 12 to 1 in favour of implementation.
  3. The final draft of the Job Evaluation Joint Agreement is now attached at Annex 1 for discussion and ratification. It has been informally agreed between officers and Unison after consultation with Directorates. Once the Joint Agreement has been ratified by the Executive it will be jointly signed and will apply to all "Green Book" jobs throughout the Council with effect from 1 June 2003.
  4. Letters notifying all employees will then be issued in May 2003. In schools these letters will be sent through headteachers, at their request. Some concerns have been expressed among a small number of schools relating to the Scheme. However, a great deal of additional time and effort has been taken by officers and Unison representatives to overcome these concerns. We hope that they have now been successfully resolved, but will continue to work with schools which have particular issues.
  5. Those schools who have not responded, after repeated contacts, to the schedules sent out to them for comment by the final deadline will have the standard overviews applied to their jobs, except where they already pay above the standard grade. In this case the current grade will be assimilated for later confirmation on the assumption that the school is paying higher because it demands a higher input from the job holder over and above the standard job. Schools have been informed that they may be required to justify any higher grades if challenged under equal pay considerations and assistance will be given if this occurs.
  6. The budget for the increases to grades will be allocated to Directorates according to the costs of the scheme and to schools via the usual schools funding formula. This has led to concern among some schools that the formula will not properly recognise the actual costs. Unfortunately, these funds have to be allocated to schools by the existing funding formula to comply with the requirements of LMS. Schools will still get their formula-based share of the funds even if no jobs happen to be up-graded in that school.
  7. This Joint Agreement can be reviewed at the request of either side in accordance with Paragraph 7 of the draft now attached.

    Annex 1 - Joint Agreement to Implement Job Evaluation for Green Book Employees
    Annex 2 - Market Supplements
    Annex 3 - Appeals Procedure
    Annex 4 -
    New pay structure
  8. RECOMMENDATION

  9. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to ratify the Joint Agreement with Unison at Annex 1 to the report.

JOHN JACKSON
Director for Resources

Background Papers: Nil

Contact Officer: Sue Corrigan, Tel 01865 810280

April 2003

Return to TOP