Issue - items at meetings - Living Wage Accreditation

Report of the Acting Chief Executive (copy attached).

(1)               That officers be instructed to seek agreement from the Living Wage Foundation to the proposed procurement approach and exemptions as set out in the report; and

(2)               That subject to the agreement by the Living Wage Foundation to the matters set out at recommendation (1) above, it be agreed that the council should formally apply to the Living Wage Foundation to become an accredited UK Living Wage employer from 1^st April 2013.

87.1         The Head of Policy & Performance introduced the report, concerning living wage accreditation, which required an organisation in addition to paying its own employees the Living Wage, to put in place plans to pay relevant contracted staff the Living Wage, as well as having a commitment to meet any annual increases in the Living Wage rate.  He noted that the council had made a commitment to pay a living wage to all its employees in September 2011 and that in order to gain accreditation it needed to review its contractual arrangements with its contractors.  It was therefore proposed that arrangements should be put in place to meet the required criteria for accreditation but that certain contracts should be exempt e.g. social care.

87.2         The Chair welcomed the report and stated that the key aim had to be to reduce inequality and noted that the Chamber of Commerce had given its support to the proposals, which hopefully would see a living wage being paid across the city.

87.3         Councillor Mitchell stated that the Labour & Co-operative Group supported the recommendations and noted there were some difficulties in regard to the procurement process but hoped that the proposals would enable the council to be accredited.

87.4         The Chair noted the comments and put the recommendations to the vote.

87.5         RESOLVED:

(1)         That officers be instructed to seek agreement from the Living Wage Foundation to the proposed procurement approach and exemptions as set out in the report; and

(2)         That subject to the agreement by the Living Wage Foundation to the matters set out at recommendation (1) above, it be agreed that the council should formally apply to the Living Wage Foundation to become an accredited UK Living Wage employer from 1^st April 2013.