Pay rise joy for Northamptonshire County Council staff

Staff were told the good news during an atrium address at One Angel Square this morning (Nov 4) alongside a general briefing about next year’s budget.

Unison, which is the biggest union in the council has welcomed the news, which will see staff receive a cost of living pay rise for the first time in three years.

The pay rise will cost the council in the region of £4.6m. Staff will also receive an extra days holiday on December 27th this year.

Unison branch secretary Kev Standishday said: “People clapped when the pay rise was announced. It is more than we expected and is to be welcomed, although it would be good if it came now rather than next year.”

A hinted at pay rise for this year was decisively ruled out this summer as the authority is predicting a £2.2m overspend on its budget.

It is proposed to increase Council Tax by 3.99%, from April next year which will be comprised of a 1.99% rise in the core Council Tax and a 2% social care precept.

Council tax will rise by just under four percent in April next year which will be made up of a two percent adult social care precept.

Conservative council leader Matt Golby said: “I’m delighted that we can reward staff for all their efforts over the past few months with an above-inflation pay award. They all very much deserve this.”

This is the last budget that will be prepared by the council. It will be ratified by the cabinet next week and then go out to consultation before being finally rubber-stamped in February.

The two new shadow authorities in the north and the west of the county will devise the next budget when local government is given a county-wide shake-up in the wake of the financial meltdown last year of the county council.