Pay Policy Statement 2024-25

The Council operates a discretionary selective redundancy scheme which provides enhanced redundancy payments and a retirement policy that operates in accordance with the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Local Government Pension Scheme. The redundancy scheme implemented in January 2012 was reviewed in November 2012, and a further revised (reduced) Redundancy Payments Scheme was implemented with effect from 1 September 2013; in accordance with good HR practice, the scheme was reviewed in 2018/19 although no substantive changes were made to it.  

Applications for voluntary redundancy from areas of the Council not 'at risk' of redundancy will only be approved where to do so would clearly support business planning and service delivery in the long-term, and wider strategic objectives as set out in the Council's Thrive Agenda. In order to reach a decision on whether or not to support an application, consideration will be given to the viability of a bumped redundancy where appropriate.  

Whilst there is nothing to prevent employees who have received voluntary redundancy and/or early retirement pension payments from working for another organisation or for themselves, the Council's general practice is to not re-employ them. The clear intention is that individuals should not benefit from further employment with the Council when they have already been compensated for loss of their job and may be in receipt of enhanced redundancy payments or pensions in accordance with this pay policy statement and other associated policies. A similar principle applies to re-employment of employees who have previously taken early retirement with enhancements. 

There should therefore be a minimum of 12 months' break before consideration is given to their return to employment within the Council in the circumstances outlined above.  There may, however, be occasions when labour, skills or knowledge are required, and particularly in the case of employees who were made redundant, individuals will not be barred from applying for roles such as casual workers (NOMOs) if there is no direct link with their former job and is outside of the service they were previously employed in.