Introduction
This document sets out the Lancashire Combined County Authority’s pay policy in relation to the remuneration of its employees in accordance with section 38 of the Localism Act 2011. The policy is subject to annual review which must be approved by the combined county authority before 31 March each year. Any amendments during the course of the year must also be considered and approved by the combined county authority. The policy will be published on the combined county authority’s website as soon as reasonably practicable after approval or amendment.
The combined county authority is committed to ensuring fairness, transparency and equality of pay in the remuneration of its employees.
Chief officers and senior management team
The combined county authority is committed to ensuring fairness, transparency and equality of pay in the remuneration of its employees.
| Job title | Grade | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Head of Paid Services (Denise Park) | Currently provided by Blackburn with Darwen BC | See Blackburn with Darwen pay policy - no additional renumeration |
| Monitoring Officer (Neil Jack) | Currently provided by Blackpool Council | See Blackpool Council pay policy - no additional renumeration |
| Chief Finance Officer, S73 (Mark Wynn) | Currently provided by Lancashire County Council (LCC) | See LCC pay policy - no additional renumeration |
These posts or functions are currently being provided via a secondment agreement from either Blackburn with Darwen BC, Blackpool Council or Lancashire County Council. Details of grade and salary will be published in accordance with their respective pay policy statement.
Other posts within the senior team of the combined authority consist of the following:
| Job title | Grade | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Chief operating officer | TBC | TBC |
Joint National Conditions of service (JNC for Chief Officers/Green Book) are incorporated into all contracts of employment.
The salaries for chief officers are determined through independent analysis and benchmarking and will reflect rates which are reasonably sufficient to recruit and retain senior officers, considering market conditions. The grades attributable to chief officer posts are subject 1 to job evaluation and based on clear salary differentials which reflect the level of responsibility attached to any particular role.
Chief officers do not receive bonus payments or performance related pay nor do they receive any benefits in kind paid for by the employer. Where a chief officer meets the criteria for entitlement to expenses these are paid in accordance with the combined county authority’s policies, aligned with those of NJC. Increases in pay for chief officers will occur only as a result of:
- pay awards agreed by way of national/local collective pay bargaining arrangements
- significant changes to a chief officer’s role which result in a higher salary being appropriate as confirmed by the outcome of an appropriate job evaluation process
- recruitment and/or retention payments which, in all the given circumstances at the relevant time, are deemed necessary in the best interests of the combined authority and which are determined under the relevant policy relating to such payments
It is expected that chief officers will perform to the highest level. Performance related pay therefore does not form part of current remuneration arrangements.
This position will be reviewed if legislation and/or guidance relating to chief officer posts changes.
Under the Lancashire Combined County Authority’s constitution, appointment to the chief executive and senior statutory officer roles are a matter for the combined county authority. All other posts are appointed under delegation to the Head of Paid Service.
Tax avoidance measures
All chief officers are remunerated via monthly salary payments. Appropriate tax and national insurance deductions are made in accordance with HMRC regulations and there are no arrangements in place for the purpose of minimising tax payments.
Payments to chief officers upon termination of their employment
Chief officers who cease to hold office or be employed by the combined county authority will receive payments calculated using the same principles as any other member of staff, based on entitlement within their contract of employment, their general terms and conditions, and existing policies. The combined county authority adopts the policies of the host employer, for application in these circumstances, whilst it does not employ directly.
In the case of termination of employment by way of early retirement, redundancy (voluntary or otherwise) or on the grounds of efficiency of the service, the Local Government Pension Scheme Early retirement policy sets out provisions which apply to all staff regardless of their level of seniority. The Local Government Pension Scheme Early retirement policy also sets out the applicable provisions in respect of awarding additional pension entitlement by way of augmentation or otherwise.
Employment of individuals already in receipt of a local government pension
The administering authority will not reduce pension payments as a result of re-employment. However, where those in receipt of a pension have been awarded additional service as compensation by their former employer the extra pension from this service may be abated due to re- employment with a scheme employer under the Local Government (Early Termination of 2 Employment) (Discretionary Compensation) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 as amended.
Remuneration of lowest paid employees
The combined county authority have adopted the ‘Single Status Framework’ in scope of the NJC for local government services. The lowest paid employees within the combined authority are appointed to jobs which have been evaluated using the NJC Job Evaluation Scheme and are remunerated accordingly.
The combined county authority is committed to the annual review of the Voluntary Living Wage (currently £12.60 per hour).
The combined county authority is committed to reviewing apprentice pay for entry level apprentices to ensure this is a fair and competitive rate.
Relationship between chief officer and non-chief officer remuneration
The ‘pay multiple’ for the combined authority is determined by comparing the pay of the highest paid employee against the median average pay, using hourly rates as 31 May 24, for employees within the scope of this statement.
The combined county authority’s median hourly rate cannot be calculated on 1 April 2025 due to no employees being directly employed by the combined county authority and all current staff working in kind from their relevant council. This will be calculated and the pay policy updated and published accordingly as soon as this information is available, and the combined county authority is directly employing staff.
General principles regarding the remuneration of staff
The combined county authority has established pay and grading structures, founded on evaluation of job roles using job evaluation, which ensures a fair and transparent approach to pay and the same grading of jobs which are rated as equivalent.
The combined county authority is committed to reducing the gender pay gap.
Publication of and access to information relating to remuneration of chief officers
The combined county authority will publish their Pay policy statement, following approval of the combined county authority, on the organisations website. In addition, remuneration related data associated with the Pay policy statement and Code of recommended practice for local authorities on data transparency will be published on the combined authority’s website no later than 31 March and information related to the public sector equality duty no later than 31 March. The authority is committed to ensuring that pay and staffing decisions are in line with the combined county authority’s duties and legal obligations under all relevant employment legislation including the Equality Act 2010.