The Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee were scheduled to meet on 14 July 2025 to discuss revisions to several employment policies, the ratification of a pay agreement, and a pay policy for teachers. The meeting was set to cover revisions to the fixed term contracts policy and secondment policy, as well as a new relocation procedure. Also on the agenda was the ratification of the Soulbury pay agreement and a pay policy for teachers employed by the local authority but not attached to schools.

Pay Policy for Teachers

The committee was scheduled to discuss the School Teachers' Pay Award, effective from 1 September 2024, and to approve a revised pay policy for teachers employed by the local authority but not attached to schools, according to the Pay Policy for Teachers report.

The report stated that the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) imposes duties on relevant bodies regarding teachers' pay, and any changes need to be reflected in the authority's policies for teachers in education support services.

The main changes to the Teachers Pay Policy for 2024 were listed as:

• A 5.5% uplift to all pay and allowance ranges and advisory points, effective from 1 September 2024.
• The removal of performance related pay for teachers employed by the local authority and not attached to schools from September 2024.
• Pay progression would only be withheld if the individual was subject to formal competence procedures.
• The policy contains all the continuing provisions for the determination of individual salary ranges (ISR) for teachers paid on the leadership spine, payment of responsibility and special educational needs allowances, and part time teachers' pay calculation. These elements are unchanged.

The report noted that the NASUWT¹ could not agree to the 2024-25 Derbyshire pay policy in full, as the pay points are those set out in the STPCD and are therefore not compatible with the NASUWT's position of seeking a minimum 8% award this year, but that in all other respects, NASUWT agrees with the policy.

The report stated that an alternative option would be to retain performance related pay and withhold progression for reasons related to poor performance, but that in recommending that the council does not retain performance related pay and withhold pay progression only when a teacher is in formal capability procedures the following factors have been taking into account:

• o The government's ambition to reset relations with the Teaching profession and make teaching an attractive profession.
• o The implementation of the recommendations reached by the workload reduction task force as part of the government's commitment to reduce teacher and leader workload.
• o The evidence from the workload reduction task force that performance related pay works poorly in practice and is not commensurate with positive impact on teaching and learning.
• o Potential for the breakdown of current good industrial relations and possible localised industrial action if we were to retain PRP which has been a subject of considerable campaigning by teacher trade unions and representatives of teaching associations.
• o The implications on the recruitment and retention of teachers and school leaders if we were to retain PRP and neighbouring Local Authorities and Local Multi Academy Trusts decide not to. Anecdotal evidence indicates that Local MATs are not proposing to retain PRP.

Soulbury Pay Agreement

The committee was scheduled to note the implementation of a one-year pay agreement for employees on Soulbury Committee² terms and conditions, effective from 1 September 2024, according to the Ratification of the Soulbury Pay Agreement report.

The main points of the pay agreement were listed as:

• A one year deal effective from 1 September 2024
• An increase of 2.5% on all pay points
• An increase of 2.5% on all allowances

The report stated that all employees covered under this pay agreement received backdated pay in March 2025, and that in line with advice from the Local Government Association as outlined within the Joint Education Circular (JESC), Soulbury officers' pay agreement 2024, the council will provide backdated payments for leavers upon request.

Relocation Procedure

The committee was scheduled to discuss and approve a new relocation policy, as detailed in the Relocation Procedure report. The new policy would set out the circumstances in which relocation payments may be made to employees, replacing the previous Removal and Relocation Policy.

The current Removal and Relocation Policy allows the council to make payments to support:

• A new employee who currently lives more than 20 miles from their employment base with the council, relocating to take up a new position at the council
• A current employee transferring from one post to another within the council, providing there is a change in their working base and that their new base is more than 20 miles from the employee's existing place of residence, and that the Managing Director or Executive Director certifies that it is essential that the employee move their residence to within 20 miles of their new working base for operational reasons.

The report stated that a policy review has shown there are currently no roles that require employees to live within 20 miles of their working base.

The proposed relocation policy sets out that relocation expenses could be paid where a job role has been advertised showing that relocation expenses may be paid, generally for senior or technical roles where it may beneficial to seek to attract candidates nationally. Approval from the Managing Director would be required to advertise a role on this basis, and new employees would be required to move their home to within 40 miles of their new DCC base location.

The report proposed to set the policy limit of any relocation claim at level set by His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) limits, currently a maximum of £8,000.

Revisions to Fixed Term Contract Policy

The committee was scheduled to discuss revisions to the Fixed Term Contract policy, according to the Revisions to Fixed Term Contracts Policy report. The policy sets out how fixed term contractual arrangements can be used effectively to fill temporary resource requirements within the council.

The report stated that the current policy applies disproportionately lengthy consultation and notice periods, regardless of contract length, which managers and employees find confusing and difficult to implement, and that these periods are also over and above what is required by legislation.

The proposed amendments to the policy were detailed as:

• For employees on a Fixed Term contract with less than 2 years continuous service the reason for dismissal will be 'end of fixed term contract' at the date the contract is due to expire or the event the contract was aligned to has come to an end. Employees will receive one month's notice.
• 'Some other substantial reason' will be the reason for the contract ending where the fixed term contract is for a particular job or project, it has been made clear on appointment about the temporary nature of the post, and/or the substantive post holder has returned to work. A fair dismissal process must be followed, and one months' notice will be given.
• Redundancy as the reason will apply where an employee has been employed on a Fixed Term contract for more than 2 years and the requirement for the work to be undertaken has diminished or ceased e.g. externally funded project work ending once funding ceases. Where a Fixed Term contract ends in this way, the Redundancy, Redeployment and Protection of Earnings policy should be followed in these circumstances.

Revisions to Secondment Policy

The committee was scheduled to discuss revisions to the Secondment policy, according to the Revisions to the Secondment Policy report. The report stated that a secondment is the temporary movement or 'loan' of an employee to another part of the council (or to or from another organisation) which is considered to be for the benefit of both the organisation and employee, and that during the period of secondment, the employee undertakes a different role for an agreed period of time, but remains subject to their existing contract of employment.

The proposed amendments to the policy were detailed as revisions to the format of the policy to be more user friendly and logical, and provides greater clarity on:

• the different notice requirements for leaving a secondment post, and substantive post
• options and implications when release for secondment has not been approved by the manager
• benefits of supporting external secondments
• differences between secondments and other contractual arrangements