Issue - meetings

The information contained in the report is exempt in that it falls within the following prescribed category:

4       Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matters arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or officer-holders under the authority

It is considered that in this case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, in that such disclosure would distort the proper process of free negotiations between the authority with another party for the purposes described and would prejudice the position of the authority in those negotiations and other negotiations of a similar nature in future.

The Remuneration Committee has asked for this report on the Living Wage in order to inform their consideration of whether to implement this in Oxfordshire County Council.

The Committee agreed that further information was needed and that research be carried out around the  feasibility and implications of any proposals.

The information contained in the report is exempt in that it falls within the following prescribed category:

4       Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matters arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or officer-holders under the authority

It is considered that in this case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, in that such disclosure would distort the proper process of free negotiations between the authority with another party for the purposes described and would prejudice the position of the authority in those negotiations and other negotiations of a similar nature in future.

The Remuneration Committee considered a report on the Living Wage in order to inform their consideration of whether to implement this in Oxfordshire County Council

RESOLVED:             That further information was needed and that research be carried out around the feasibility and implications of any proposals.

To receive a verbal briefing on the Living Wage and to initiate research on the implications of  the County Council adopting the Living Wage

Agreed recommendation

The Committee received a verbal briefing on the Living Wage and noted that Oxford City Council currently paid a figure of £8.01 per hour and that they also required this figure to be paid by contractors. Elsewhere different rates were in use as there was no standard rate agreed for the living wage.

The Committee recognised that the implications of this would be greater for Oxfordshire County Council contractors in areas such as residential and social care where the cost could be significant. The impact on schools would also be significant although it was noted that academies were completely separate employers. A Councillor queried what would be the knock on effect on the local authority pension fund. Councillor Patrick referred to the motion submitted by the Liberal Democrat Group to Council and the need for clarity on the benefits and implications to the Council and contractors.

Councillors agreed the need for careful and serious research on the implications of its introduction before taking the discussion further. It was suggested that it would be helpful to have information on the different methodologies used elsewhere to decide on the living wage figure to be used.

RESOLVED:            to instruct officer to initiate research on the implications of the living wage to inform future discussions.