Decision

Approve the change in annual leave year for employees working term-time only in council service, with effect from 1 September 2026.

Reasons for the decision

The change of leave year should reduce the number of part
year calculations required, resulting in increased pay stability.
It will also ensure that employees’ paid days and working
days are always aligned, and consequently paid annual leave
will always be proportionate to the working days in the leave
year.

Alternative options considered

Retaining an April to March leave year creates some risk for
grievances to be brought, particularly in years with a reduced
number of working days where part-year calculations are
likely to result in the need for increased negative pay
adjustments.

There is also a risk in years where the number of term-time
working days exceeds 190 due to the changeable Easter
closure period. As employees are always paid based on a
‘standard’ 190-day working year, their paid leave entitlement
will not be directly proportionate to the number of days they
work in that year.