Bath and North East Somerset Council yesterday voted in favour of continuing to improve the pay of their lower-paid employees across the local area.
The Council voted in favour of the proposals by the Liberal Democrat Group to continue to increase the pay of those Council workers on the lowest incomes.
This outcome will now be taken forward into the Council’s budget-setting process for 2015-16, in February 2015.
Councillor Bellotti (Liberal Democrat, Lyncombe) commented: “The Liberal Democrats have made it a priority to support those on the lowest incomes as part of our drive to make society fairer.
“Tonight’s vote represents another stage on a continuing trajectory of improvements for our staff.
“Over the last three years, we have frozen council tax, created a Social Fund to help those who are struggling and worked with families to solve problems in practical ways.
“At national level, Liberal Democrats have delivered an £800 tax cut for workers, boosted pensions and created the pupil premium to help give children the best start in life.
“Next year we will continue this drive to tackle poverty in B&NES by paying our lowest paid employees more, helping people avoid pay day loans and continuing the council tax freeze for an unprecedented fourth year.”
Councillor Simon Allen (Liberal Democrat, Radstock) added: “The Living Wage Foundation is an academic body, which is not an official government advisor.
“Accreditation with the Foundation would mean the Council would have to meet a deadline for all of our suppliers and partners to pay the Living Wage to their staff as well.
“This would undoubtedly lead to increases in costs for those partners and thus to budget pressures for this Council and job losses. It could even put some of our small partners out of business.
“We are working hard to improve pay for our staff. However, we must be responsible with taxpayers’ money and ensure that the decisions we take do not have unintended consequences.
“Council will continue to work towards the Living Wage and will encourage our partners to do also.”