Section One - General Pay Policy

1. 1. The Authority applies the pay scales adopted by the respective national Joint Councils for all its employees up to the level of Principal Officer.
   2. The Authority has adopted the principle of applying the Living Wage rate as the minimum starting point for all substantive appointments. This is subject to annual review by the Centre for Research in Social Policy. From April 2016, the Service also adheres to the National Living Wage rate (for employees over 21) where this is higher than the Living Wage. Please note that the national minimum wage rates apply to some apprenticeship roles.
   3. Local pay arrangements for Principal Officers are established through the provisions of the NJC for Brigade Managers of Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services and are reviewed biennially by the Fire Authority. Further details are set out in Section 2
   4. The number and level of roles within the Service are determined by the Fire Authority on advisement from the Chief Fire Officer.
   5. Pay policy reflects the different roles, duties and responsibilities undertaken by Service employees. This is reflected in pay differentials between different groups of workers and between workers in the same pay group. The pay bands established are based on nationally applied role maps, (operational employees) or grading bands established through a job evaluation process, (support employees).
   6. Pay policy reflects adherence to the principle of “equal pay for work of equal value”. The Service has committed to undertake an independent equal pay audit on a 3-yearly basis, as a means of identifying any gender pay issues. In line with its duty under the Equality Act 2010, (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017, the Service also undertakes a gender pay gap audit. As of 31 March 2024, this showed that the mean average difference in pay between female and male employees was -12.53% and the mean median difference in pay was -7.78%. Whilst pay rates are applied consistently according to job role, irrespective of gender, this differential reflects the fact that there are more men employed with senior, (higher paid) roles than women. The challenge for the service is to develop more women into managerial roles, particularly operational roles where women are under-represented. This requires more women to apply for and be successful in attaining operational roles, and to go onto apply for promotion.
   7. In applying its policy, the Authority will work to eliminate any elements which may, directly or indirectly, discriminate unfairly on the grounds of sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, age, marital status, having dependants, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, trade union activity, disability, or any other factors. Part-time workers receive the same pay and remuneration as full-time workers undertaking the same job role on a pro-rata basis.

Generic pay information

1. 8. Mean Average Pay
      

      The mean average pay is calculated based on salary for Fire-fighters, Control, and support employees. It does not include the On-Call Duty System Fire-fighters who are paid according to turnouts, (please refer to section 3.6).

      The mean average pay for 2023-24 is £37,974, (as at 31/03/24). This compares to a mean average of £37,266 in 2022-23.

   9. Pay Multiples
      

      The idea of publishing the ratio of the pay of an organisation’s top earner to that of its median earner, has been recommended in order to support the principles of Fair Pay, (Will Hutton 2011) and transparency.

      The current ratio is 4.71:01 which compares to 4.55:01 in 2022-23. This will be monitored each year within the Statement of Pay Policy.