The Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee meeting scheduled for Monday 13 April 2026 was set to discuss updates to council policies concerning staff recruitment and pay agreements. Key agenda items included the Disclosure and Barring Service Check Policy, the Soulbury Pay Agreement for 2025/2026, and revised Pay and Appraisal policies for teachers not attached to schools.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check Policy

The committee was scheduled to consider an updated Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks Policy. This policy outlines the council's approach to DBS checks, which are used to help employers make safer recruitment decisions. The proposed revisions included a name change to reflect the service's current designation, updated links to reference documents, and an inclusion of reference to the Workforce Policy Development Framework. The scope of the policy was expanded to list typical roles requiring DBS checks and to provide a clearer definition of regulated activity. The policy also aimed to offer clearer explanations of different check types, guidance for individuals who have spent time outside the UK, procedures for starting employees before a satisfactory DBS check is received, and information on re-checks. A significant update was the expansion of Section 10 to cover contractors and associated issues, detailing contractual agreements, determining the need for checks, verification processes, record-keeping, and ongoing monitoring. The recommendation was to approve the revised policy, which had not been updated since January 2019.

Ratification of the Soulbury Pay Agreement 2025/2026

The meeting was scheduled to note the implementation of a one-year pay agreement for employees on Soulbury Committee terms and conditions, effective from 1 September 2025. The agreement included a 3.2% increase on all pay points and allowances. Employees covered by this agreement were to receive backdated pay in March 2026. The council had consulted with local Joint Trade Unions regarding this nationally agreed increase. The report noted that not applying the pay agreement was not a viable alternative as it is a contractual requirement. The recommendation was for the committee to note the pay awards applied following the national pay agreements.

Pay and Appraisal Policies for Teachers Employed by the Local Authority and Not Attached to Schools

The committee was scheduled to review and approve revised Pay and Appraisal policies for teachers employed directly by the Local Authority and not attached to schools. These policies are designed to align with the nationally agreed School Teachers' Pay Award, effective from 1 September 2025, which involved a 4% uplift to all pay and allowance ranges. The revised Pay Policy aimed to clarify the application of Teaching & Learning Responsibility (TLR) allowance payments, allowing the council to determine TLR values based on the proportion of responsibility undertaken. The policy also outlined considerations for implementing these changes for teachers currently in receipt of TLR payments from 1 September 2026.

The Appraisal Policy, revised in accordance with the Education (School Teachers' Appraisal) [England] Regulations 2012, sets out the appraisal framework for these teachers. Changes included ensuring the policy is robust while managing workload, and incorporating recommendations from the DfE's Teacher Workload Advisory Group report, Making Data Work. A flowchart was included to guide service leads in addressing concerns about teacher practice. The policies had been developed with extensive consultation with recognised teacher trade unions and professional associations, although a collective agreement had not been reached with all parties due to differing views on performance-related pay. The recommendation was to note the nationally agreed pay award and approve the revised Pay and Appraisal Policies.