A move to introduce a living wage for staff at Lichfield District Council is a step in the right direction, according to a local councillor.
The local authority’s employment committee has discussed a move to increase the pay of its lowest earning staff, with a minimum wage of £7.20 per hour being introduced in April and rising to £9 by 2020.
But Cllr Sue Woodward, leader of the Labour opposition group, insisted the numbers did not equate to the £8.25 an hour recommended by the National Living Wage Foundation.
“We’d pressed Lichfield District Council to introduce the real living wage, as opposed to George Osborne’s sham figure to set a good example and encourage other local employers to follow suit,” Cllr Woodward said. “We were told it was unaffordable.
“Now, of course, they have to introduce the Osborne living wage.
“It’s a step in the right direction towards the real living wage and one which will be very welcome for those employees current only receiving the minimum wage or just above, who are mainly women and young people.
“Pay scales for council employees are negotiated nationally but surely, as one of the biggest local employers, Lichfield District Council should have listened to us and been planning ahead many months ago for this.”
The local authority confirmed it would be implementing the rates set by the Chancellor – but admitted it would need to examine whether the raise would have a knock-on effect on other rates of pay.
Chief executive Diane Tilley said: “From April 2016 the National Living Wage will be introduced. All qualifying workers will receive this increase.
“We will continue to monitor the national position and whether this will impact on the pay structure as a whole.”
