The Appointments & Disciplinary Committee of Croydon Council met on Tuesday, 27 January 2026, to discuss and recommend the approval of the Council's Pay Policy Statement for 2026-27. The committee also received an update on referrals to professional bodies concerning historical financial mismanagement and governance failures.

Croydon Pay Policy Statement 2026-27

The committee reviewed and recommended the Croydon Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2026-27 to Full Council for approval. This statement, required by the Localism Act 2011, outlines the council's policies on the remuneration of its Chief Officers, the pay of its lowest-paid employees, and the relationship between these two groups. Gillian Bevan, Head of Human Resources, presented the statement, noting that it aligns with the 2025-26 National Joint Council (NJC) pay award, though the 2026-27 award is yet to be determined. The London Living Wage figure has been updated.

Councillor Robert Ward raised a concern that the redundancy pay calculator, detailed in Appendix 1 of the statement, could be viewed as age-discriminatory due to calculations being partly based on age. Dean Shoesmith, Chief People Officer, acknowledged the validity of this observation, stating that the proposals reflect statutory provisions.

The Pay Policy Statement itself details the council's approach to remuneration, including basic pay, allowances, benefits in kind, and termination payments. It defines Chief Officers as per the Localism Act 2011 and the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, encompassing roles from the Chief Executive to Deputy Chief Officers. The statement confirms that the council does not apply bonuses or performance payments to senior staff. It also outlines policies on market supplements, car allowances, returning officer fees, and remuneration on appointment.

Regarding equal pay, the statement highlights that Croydon Council has maintained a gender pay gap of zero percent or below for the past four years, with the latest figures for March 2024 showing -1.3% (mean) and -0.1% (median). The council also monitors and publishes disability and ethnicity pay gap information.

The statement also details the council's severance payment policies, including redundancy and early retirement schemes, which are governed by the Employment Rights Act 1996 and relevant regulations. It specifies approval processes for severance payments exceeding £100,000, requiring a vote of Full Council, or the Appointments and Disciplinary Committee in urgent litigation contexts. Special severance payments between £20,000 and £100,000 require sign-off from the Head of Paid Service, Section 151 Officer, and Monitoring Officer, with a record of the Executive Mayor's approval. Payments below £20,000 are approved by the Chief People Officer.

The definition of the lowest-paid employee is set as those on Grade 1, scale point 2, and the council commits to paying the Real Living Wage. The statement also addresses the relationship between Chief Officer pay and that of other staff, noting that pay is determined by evaluated responsibilities and national pay body rates, rather than simple multiples. Pay multiples are published for transparency, showing a ratio of 1:7 between the lowest-paid employee and the Chief Executive.

The committee resolved to recommend the Pay Policy Statement 2026-27 to Full Council for approval, aligning with the Executive Mayor's Business Plan priority for good governance and best practice.

Outcome of Referrals to Professional Bodies

The committee received an update regarding referrals made to relevant professional bodies concerning elected Members and former Officers implicated in the council's historical financial mismanagement and governance failings. This item was considered in Part B of the meeting, which was held in private session, with the press and public excluded.