The Chief Executive introduced the report which set out the results of the consultation with staff on the proposal to introduce a 34-hour working week and sought approval to implement the preferred option to a 34-hour working week. The Chief Executive explained that there was an error at recommendation (2) and that it should read ‘with council offices closing at 13.30 on a Friday’. She added that the Trade Union was against the proposal and negotiations around a 34-hour week and a pay rise were on going.

The Chair invited Members to make comments, which included:

·           Concerned with the offices closing at 13.30 on Friday and members of the public not being able to contact officers until the following Monday;

·           had officers considered a different day that the offices could shut?;

·           Members needed to consider that 57% of staff don’t want this and neither did the Trade Unions so was it the right thing to do?;

·           the relationship between the Trade Unions and the Council was a good one and did not want to ruin that;

·           thought that this would impose an extra workload on staff;

·           concerned that the service residents received would worsen;

·           the cost-of-living was very high, and staff needed a pay rise to combat this;

·           Members had to consider how the cost-of-living crisis had affected the council as contracts had increased by 20-30%;

·           understood the concerns that staff had with the cost-of-living crisis and the need for a pay rise, but the council did not have money in the budget to fund a pay rise;

·           it was more important to keep staff rather than make staff redundant due to pay increases;

·           this was a trial period from May to December 2023 so Members would have a better understanding of how a 34-hour week would work in January 2024; and

·           the council was in a very difficult situation because of Government funding and did not have the funds for a staff pay rise, so this was the best option.

In response, the Chief Executive said that the Trade Unions were not against the idea of working a 34-hour week, they were against the idea of not having any sort of pay rise for staff. She hoped that the recent £1,000 one-off payment proposed for grade 5 staff and below would help staff combat the cost-of-living crisis. She added that it was important to keep staff employed and hoped that reducing the working hours of staff, it would help fill vacancies the Council had difficulty filling and improve the work-life balance of staff.

The Chief Executive said that if a pay deal was agreed with Trade Unions after the decision was made, a report would be bought back to Members at Full Council to make a decision on if required. 

Councillor Mike Henderson proposed the recommendations, which were seconded by Councillor Roger Truelove.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 3.1.19(2), a recorded vote was taken, and voting was as follows:

For: Councillors Baldock, Bonney, Carnell, Gibson, Henderson, Saunders, Truelove and Woodford. Total equals 8.

Against: Councillors Bowen, Horton, Whiting. Total equals 3.

Abstain: Councillor Valentine. Total equals 1.

Resolved:

(1)  That the results from the consultation with staff to change the contracted working week from 37 hours to 34 hours be noted.

(2)  That the change in the working week from 37 hours per week to 34 hours per week with council offices closing at 13.30 on a Friday (except for emergency services) be agreed.

(3)  That two additional days leave (pro rata) be taken between Christmas and New Year resulting in a close down of the council between Christmas and New Year be added.

(4)  That a transition/implementation phase runs from 1 May 2023 until 31 December 2023.

(5)  That the permanent change to start 1 January 2024 unless there was a compelling reason not to.

(6)  That the Head of Paid Service has delegation to implement the permanent change.