Agenda item

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain which sought approval for enhanced maternity, adoption and shared parental pay provisions to be funded centrally. The Chair advised Members that a revised table demonstrating the financial impact of the proposed approach on individual departments had been tabled for information.

Discussion took place as to whether this revised approach would be a significant improvement on the current arrangements with Members noting the complicated nature of this approach. Members were reminded that the request to amend the pay provisions process had arisen because some departments were being penalised financially due to demographics, but Members noted that under these new arrangements, some departments would benefit, and others would not; therefore the proposals were not in line with the Committee’s original motivation for change.

A Member suggested that further work be carried out on this matter with a revised approach being brought back before the Committee, to which another Member asked if this would be necessary and whether it was better to let the matter drop with no further work to be done. In recognition of there being two opposing views, the Chair called a vote to decide a way forward which resulted in:-

5 votes for further work to be carried out

7 votes against

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and the proposed amendments to the approach to fund maternity, adoption and shared parental pay provisions be not approved.