The Pay Policy and Terms and Conditions Sub-Committee met on 3 February 2026 to consider the Pay Policy Statement for 2026-27 and conduct a pay review for Chief Officers. The Sub-Committee recommended the Pay Policy Statement to full Council for approval and approved recommendations from an exempt report concerning the Chief Officers' pay review.

Pay Policy Statement 2026-27

The Sub-Committee considered the Pay Policy Statement for 2026-27, which outlines the council's policies on pay and conditions for senior managers and employees, excluding operational firefighters and school-based employees. The statement, which is a requirement under the Localism Act 2011¹, aims to ensure a fair, reasonable, transparent, affordable, and competitive approach to pay, rewarding employees for their contributions while retaining critical skills.

Key updates to the statement for 2025/26 include adjustments to the Chief Executive's salary, reflecting incremental progression and a national pay award. The pay multiple between the highest-paid employee and the median full-time equivalent salary was noted as 3.91 for 2025/26. The report detailed pay adjustments for the Fire and Rescue Service Management Team, following an independent review of Chief Fire Officer, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, and Assistant Chief Fire Officer salaries. These roles saw increases effective from April 2025, with further adjustments in line with national pay awards.

The statement also covered the pay structure for staff on National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services conditions of service, with salaries updated to reflect a 3.2% pay increase. The Apprentice Rate saw a 4.22% increase to remain compliant with the statutory rate for 18-20 year olds. Allowances for Standby Duty and Sleeping in Duty were also updated in line with national pay awards. The organisational structure was included to comply with the Transparency Code².

The Sub-Committee resolved to recommend the Pay Policy Statement, as attached to the report, to full Council for approval.

Chief Officers (Corporate Leadership Team) Pay Review 2026

The Sub-Committee considered an exempt report detailing the Chief Officers (Corporate Leadership Team) Pay Review for 2026. Following discussions, it was clarified that the Head of Paid Service determines the remuneration for Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director posts. The Sub-Committee resolved to approve the recommendations as set out in the exempt report.