Agenda item

Report of the Chamberlain.

The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain proposing enhancements to the City Corporation’s London Living Wage Policy to build on its existing strong commitment.

Several Members spoke in support of the various proposals to enhance the City Corporation’s commitment to the Living Wage and urged that the organisation continue to lead by example in this area, particularly given the campaign proposed at item 7. The Committee therefore agreed to implement the Living Wage for all City Corporation staff, including back-dating of payments, observing that there was a moral imperative to comply with the full spirit of the Living Wage agreement.

The question of implementation with regard to contracted supplier staff was discussed, with Members noting that there might be particular complexities in some cases whereby certain contractors refused to apply the increase with immediate effect. It was agreed that all contractors should be approached and asked to apply the increase and, in the event that any refused, the uplift should be factored in to new contracts once existing agreements expired.

RESOLVED: That Members:-

1.         Agree to enhance the commitment to the Living Wage through the mandating of payment of the Living Wage to all contracted supplier staff delivering two hours or more work for the City Corporation.

2.         Agree to commence discussions with the Living Wage Foundation on the Corporation being an early adopter of their ‘in-development’ enhanced accreditation standard.

3.         Approve a change to our existing policy and mandate the back dating of the payments of Living Wage to affected staff to the date of the announcement each year from Financial year 2019/2020 onwards:

                    i.       For our own staff and apprentices with £150k additional costs per annum.

                   ii.      For both our own staff and suppliers’ staff with £400k additional costs per annum.

4.         Agree to uplift immediately payments effective the first month after the annual announcement.

5.         Agree that an annual paper be submitted on the impact, progress and outcomes achieved by this enhanced policy.