TEST Valley Borough Council has approved a “generous” pay rise for all its employees at a meeting of councillors this afternoon (June 24).

Staff with a salary below £28,000 will see their salaries increased by 1.75 per cent whilst those with higher salaries will receive a pay increase of 1.5 per cent.

This ensures that all workers will receive £9.52 an hour, slightly more than the £9.50 National Living Wage.

All of the unions, Unison, GMB and Unite, voted to approve the pay award despite previously proposing a 4 per cent pay increase for the lower bands of the pay scales.  

The leader of TVBC, Cllr Phil North, said that the rise “strikes the right balance.”

“All of our staff have been fantastic throughout coronavirus and we recognised that last year and we have recognised it this year as well with a generous offer.

“We have to be prudent, but we have taken the decision to reward our staff and I think its right that we pay those on the lowest grades a bit more.

“But we need to be sure that we are continuing to be a living wage employer, even though we aren’t signed up to the scheme, to ensure that we pay that minimum which I think has brought it up to £9.52 an hour where the national wage foundation is £9.50.

 “If you look at inflation, the paper says that it is between 0.7 and 1.5 per cent depending on what you look at, so we are at the top end of the inflation figure for all staff and we are paying over that for those on the lowest income.

 “So I think it does strike the right balance between ensuring our staff are happy and contented providing the services that people expect, also to be careful to tax payers.”

The motion passed with no dissent, and is backdated to April 1 2021.