Derbyshire County Council calls on Government to fund key worker pay rise

Derbyshire County Council’s ruling Conservative majority backed a call by the Labour side to request financial support from the Government to fund a wage increase for council workers – seven months after rejecting the opposition’s proposal to become a Living Wage Employer.

Presenting a motion to full council on Wednesday (July 13), Labour Leader Councillor Joan Dixon stated: “Our council staff and school workers, along with other key workers in all sectors, kept our communities safe through the pandemic, often putting themselves at considerable risk as they worked to protect public health, ensured our children continue to be educated, and looked after old and vulnerable people.”

She continued: “Sadly, at the same time front-line council workers, like many other workers in both the public and private sectors, have endured years of pay restraint, pay freezes and below average pay awards.

“On average, council workers’ salaries have gone down by 27.5 per cent of their value since 2009/10.”

Coun Dixon added that as a result of the ‘worst cost of living crisis in a generation’, workers were ‘facing tough decisions on whether to heat or eat or spend on other essentials’.

Speaking for the Tories, Deputy Leader Councillor Simon Spencer agreed there was a need to increase wages, but pointed out the unfairness of taking such an increase out of the pockets of Derbyshire taxpayers, who were also struggling.

He presented the chamber with an amended version of the motion supporting a fair pay rise for council workers, but stating: “Council, however, also recognises the reality that the financial burden for any public sector pay rise will always fall upon the taxpayer and that no spending decision comes without opportunity cost considerations.

“Council asks the Leader to write to the Government making a case for additional financial support to fully fund a pay rise for our key workers.”

Members voted unanimously in favour of the amended motion.

Commenting afterwards on the decision, UNISON Derbyshire branch secretary Jeanette Lloyd said the union was ‘very pleased’ the authority had joined its calls for central Government funding.

She said: “Support for the trade union pay claims would be a significant step in compensating local government workers for the loss of value in their pay over the years.

“It would also provide some recognition for a workforce that has remained dedicated, hard-working, and resolute – despite the multitude of challenges and crisis they have overcome in recent years.”