Supporting our members of staff
Last updated 31 July 2020From 1 April 2020 Ashford Borough Council’s employees will be paid a minimum of £9.18 per hour and apprentices will continue to receive 15 pence per hour above the National Minimum Wage (NMW).
These changes were approved by Chief Executive, Tracey Kerly, who exercised her delegations following the postponement of March’s Cabinet meeting. The Chief Executive’s approval was on the basis that officers in receipt of these allowances are the lowest paid in the organisation and were likely to be affected by the wider economic impacts of the Covid-19 crisis.
The council originally expressed its commitment to support its lowest paid staff in July 2013 when it introduced the Ashford Living Wage Allowance (ALWA). It was decided that this discretionary pay supplement should be ‘even better’ than the National Living Wage.
The council has continued to demonstrate this commitment by increasing the ALWA each year to a level that exceeds the national living wage figure. From this April the council made its ALWA £9.18 per hour, more than the national living wage (which increased to £8.72 for those aged over 25).
To build on this pledge to its lowest paid staff, and on its commitment to support and provide good quality apprenticeships, the council also proposed that their Ashford Apprentice Wage Allowance (AAWA) will continue be the equivalent of 15 pence above the national minimum wage for their apprentices within their age bracket.
Cllr Alan Pickering Portfolio Holder for Human Resources and Customer Services, said: “Ashford Borough Council intends to maintain its position as an employer with good employment practices and a remuneration structure to reward our staff based on systems to maintain fairness at all times.
“We are conscious of the need to ensure the lower paid members of our staff and Apprentices are paid a rate that can sustain family life and make Apprenticeships accessible to all.”