Resetting the relationship between local and national government. Read our Local Government White Paper
With effect from 1 April 2024, an increase of 2.50 per cent on basic salary.
Ian Miller
Honorary Secretary ALACE
Officers’ Side Secretary
JNC for Chief Executives of Local Authorities
16 May 2024
Dear Ian,
Chief executive pay 2024
Thank you for your pay claim, which was received on 19 February. Following its receipt, the National Employers consulted councils and then met initially on 16 April to discuss the key themes to come out of those sessions. They then adjourned for private political discussions before reconvening today.
The National Employers thank you and Tracey for taking the time today to set out the Officer Side’s case in such helpful detail.
The employers considered very carefully your request for negotiations. Conscious of the usual implementation date of 1 April and concerns raised by employers and employees alike when previous Agreements have been delayed, the National Employers agreed that making a full and final offer would provide certainty from the outset to yourselves, your members, the wider workforce and local employers that their offer, set out below, is the maximum they are able to make.
The National Employers wish to make the following full and final, one-year (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025) offer:
- With effect from 1 April 2024, an increase of 2.50 per cent on basic salary[1]
The National Employers propose that the Joint Secretaries re-engage on our previous discussions on the issue of senior officers’ wellbeing and access to advice and support, as they steer councils through these challenging times.
Despite rejecting the same request last year, the employers again considered the request for, “a direct and immutable link for increases for April 2024 onwards, to ensure that chief executives would receive the same percentage increase as the top point on the NJC scale.”
However, for the same reason given last year, namely the employers’ wish to retain the existing flexibility that allows them to consider pay claims for each distinct group, the National Employers again reject this element of the claim.
The National Employers hope this final offer can promptly form the basis of an agreement between the two Sides so that chief executives, who continue to provide such critical support to their communities, can receive this award as soon as is practicable.
Yours sincerely,
Naomi Cooke
Employers’ Secretary
[1] Basic salary should exclude other separately identified payments such as Returning Officer fees etc