Why is ‘Your Waverley’ so coy about announcing how much of a salary increase it awards its staff?
The pay award for Waverley Borough Council is locally negotiated and has not yet been agreed for 2025-26.
The Medium Term Financial Plan assumptions were based upon an average increase of 2.5%. National guidelines were issued by Government in December 2024 recommending 2.8% for public sector increases next year.
Note – an additional 1% on the pay award would add an extra £249k to the budget gap.
So how much is th proposed increase? And, how much was it last year?
Information such as this gets more difficult to find.
It’s not going to matter for much longer, when all 5,000 council staff across the County of Surrey, find themselves attempting to re-apply for their jobs, when the new Unitary Councils are formed out of the ashes of County and Borough Councils.
The Government said the Local Government Reorganisation would save money as there will be fewer Councillors (fake news) What they really meant is fewer Council staff.
With Tim Oliver leading the charge (backed by Terence Herbert their Chief Executive) you have to wonder if Surrey County Council staff will get first option to be employed in the new Unitaries within Surrey.