The Appointments Committee of Gloucestershire County Council met on Monday 2 March 2026 and resolved to recommend the adoption of the revised Pay Policy Statement for 2026-27 to the Full Council. The meeting also saw the appointment of Councillor Lisa Spivey as the new Chair of the committee.

Pay Policy Statement 2026-27

The committee reviewed and recommended the adoption of the Gloucestershire County Council's Pay Policy Statement for 2026-27. This statement, a statutory requirement under the Localism Act 2011, outlines the council's approach to the remuneration of its employees, including Chief Officers and the lowest paid staff, ensuring transparency, accountability, and value for money.

Eleanor Hutchinson introduced the revised statement, highlighting that the changes from the previous year were minor and primarily involved an updated list of posts with salaries of £100,000 or more (FTE) and some non-substantive wording and formatting adjustments for clarity. The committee noted that the council's policies regarding discretions available to scheme employers under the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) and Firefighters' Pension Scheme (FPS) are published on the council's website.

During the discussion, a question was raised about which senior officers were receiving Market Rate Supplements (MRS). It was clarified that seven members of staff in the Executive Director for Economy, Environment and Infrastructure (EEI) directorate were in receipt of such supplements. Concerns were also raised regarding the pay and reward package for the Chief Executive compared to her predecessor. The committee was informed that the current position is a spot salary, advertised at a slightly higher rate following benchmarking, a decision previously considered by the Appointments Committee.

The council confirmed its adherence to the principle of pay ratios, acknowledging the recommendation from the Hutton Review of Fair Pay in the Public Sector¹ that a maximum ratio of 1:20 between the highest and lowest remunerated posts should be aimed for. The council stated it was well within this range.

The committee unanimously resolved to recommend to the Full Council that the revised Pay Policy Statement 2026-27 be adopted.