logo
BCP Council's first unified pay structure agreed

BCP Council's first unified pay structure agreed

BBC News5 days ago
Staff at a unitary authority will be on the same pay structure for the first time in a council's history following a vote by councillors.Hundreds of employees at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council have been on different rates of pay since it was formed in 2019.After years of negotiations with unions, the changes were unanimously agreed at the full council meeting on Tuesday.The new terms and conditions will be implemented from 1 December.
Last month, GMB and Unison union members voted in favour of the latest proposals which will mean at least 92% of staff will have either an increase or no change in their pay.Staff facing a pay cut will have their salary protected at current levels for a further 18 months.At Tuesday's meeting, councillors approved the additional £1.7m investment needed for the new pay structure.Council leader Millie Earl said: "Achieving fairness and equality in our pay and grading structure for our staff has always been our primary aim."Getting to this position has taken a huge amount of hard work and effort from everyone involved and we are delighted that we can now offer fair and transparent pay for our workforce."
You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Fury as bankrupt Birmingham council offering asylum seekers huge discounts on swimming, golf, trampolining & Villa games
Fury as bankrupt Birmingham council offering asylum seekers huge discounts on swimming, golf, trampolining & Villa games

The Sun

timea day ago

  • The Sun

Fury as bankrupt Birmingham council offering asylum seekers huge discounts on swimming, golf, trampolining & Villa games

BANKRUPT Birmingham Council is offering small boat asylum seekers hefty discounts on leisure activities — including swimming, golf and trampolining. The Labour -run authority, which is locked in a bin strike now in its seventh month, is giving migrants up to 25 per cent off through its Passport To Leisure scheme. 2 2 Migrants, many of whom have crossed the Channel by boat before claiming asylum on reaching the UK, can also get a fifth off on the use of council swimming pools. Martial arts classes are subsidised for migrants under the initiative, as are courses on trampolining, golf, gymnastics and football. The price of a trip to a council wellbeing centre for fitness, yoga, squash and badminton sessions is also cheaper. The council even offers £1 tickets to Aston Villa matches for migrant children, as long as they are accompanied by a full paying adult. In a further slap in the face for taxpayers, asylum seekers get ten per cent off at most council leisure sites, meaning cheaper trips to the theatre, museum and city's botanical gardens. Under the scheme, £3 is lopped off tickets to watch shows, such as Disney musical Mary Poppins at the Birmingham Hippodrome. The Passport To Leisure card is available to over-60s, full-time students, carers, disabled people and recipients of certain benefits. Birmingham — England's largest local authority district by population — already has a 'Be Active' scheme for asylum seekers which offers free swimming and gym sessions. The council is £3.9billion in debt and declared itself effectively bankrupt in September 2023 with the issue of a Section 114 notice, limiting it to essential spending only. It is also under fire over its handling of a bin strike which has seen mountains of rubbish pile up on the city's streets. Migrant hotel protesters take to the streets again as demonstrations spread across the country in weekend stand-off Unite union members are in a dispute over pay and proposed changes to some roles. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'This is a bankrupt Labour council, in the middle of a bin strike, racking up billions in debt, hiking council tax by 21 per cent, and their priority is trampolining perks for illegal immigrants. 'It is a slap in the face for hard-pressed taxpayers who are being forced to subsidise freebies for illegal immigrants who claim asylum having crossed the channel.'

‘I've never had to do so many' – David Moyes fears Everton crisis has left him in uncharted managerial territory
‘I've never had to do so many' – David Moyes fears Everton crisis has left him in uncharted managerial territory

Scottish Sun

timea day ago

  • Scottish Sun

‘I've never had to do so many' – David Moyes fears Everton crisis has left him in uncharted managerial territory

Moyes also faces an availability issue over winter thanks to international competition feeling blue 'I've never had to do so many' – David Moyes fears Everton crisis has left him in uncharted managerial territory Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DAVID Moyes claims Everton's numbers crisis has left him in uncharted managerial territory. Veteran Moyes is beginning his 28th campaign in the dugout, leading the Toffees into their new home at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 David Moyes' Everton are facing a recruitment crisis Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 5 Moyes' Everton were crushed 3-0 by Bournemouth on Saturday in the Premier League Summer Series in the US Credit: Getty But the Scot says he needs 'five or six' players in the next few weeks - and that requirement was made clear as Everton were crushed 3-0 by Bournemouth at the MetLife Stadium on Saturday night. Moyes, who confirmed he is looking to land Bayern Munich's Moroccan teenager Adam Aznou in a potential £8m move, said: 'We've signed three, so if you take that off, we're still in the need of maybe five or six players. 'That's what we have to try and do. 'In the past I probably have had to sign a lot of players, but I've never had to do so many in one window as we need now.' READ MORE ON FOOTBALL RASH ATTACK Barcelona release statement as thousands unable to watch Rashford debut Moyes suggested that he and the club's new Friedkin Group owners are paying for the chaos of the final years under Farhad Moshiri. He said: 'We're sort of picking up a little bit of what we're at the end of now. 'We had a lot of people out of contracts, a lot of loan players, because of the financial situation. 'So we're having to sort of find a way around that and we're trying really, really hard behind the scenes to get things done. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 'But you can see we're going to need it. 'We've got no centre-halves and we're really struggling.' Everton and West Ham to fight it out for Douglas Luiz Quizzed on Aznou, who has made just two Bundesliga appearances but did well on loan at Valladolid in Spain in the second half of last term, he added: 'We have made an offer. Whether it's accepted and all done is another thing. 'But he's a young player, someone who we see having a good future and potential, rather than ready. 5 Bayern Munich's Adam Aznou (middle) is a high priority signing for Moyes Credit: AP 5 Moyes is facing a defensive crisis with a swathe of key personnel being ruled out through injury Credit: Getty 'If I'm being honest, we've tried to actually target more senior players if we can, players who are over the age of 25 with Premier League experience. 'That's not taking us away from the fact that we want to try and buy some young players as well. 'I'm hoping by the time we get to the end of the transfer window, we might have a balance of youth and experience.' Moyes is without Jarrad Branthwaite, James Tarkowski and Michael Keane, leaving him perilously light in defence. And he is already concerned about the impact of the African Cup of Nations that starts before Christmas and will strip him of Senegal duo Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gana Gueye. 5 Everton's top scorer last season, Iliman Ndiaye, will be unavailable during AFCON due to his commitments to the Senegal national team Credit: Getty He said: 'I always want my players to be selected for their country. I want them to represent their countries because I think that's the right thing to do. 'But when they get taken away in the mid-season, it becomes a problem. 'So we will miss them. And it's something which I know a lot of clubs are considering. 'If you're going to buy an African player who's in the AFCON, what's going to happen? Will clubs not sign African players because of the AFCON?'

Thousands of households can now claim £150 cost of living help – but you'll need to be quick
Thousands of households can now claim £150 cost of living help – but you'll need to be quick

The Sun

timea day ago

  • The Sun

Thousands of households can now claim £150 cost of living help – but you'll need to be quick

THOUSANDS of families can now apply for cost of living help worth up to £150. Hard-up households can get access to the cash through the Household Support Fund (HSF). 1 The scheme has been extended several times, with the latest round running between April 2025 and March 2026. Every council in England has been allocated a share of the £742million fund and can give it to residents who are struggling. How the money is paid depends on your council but it could come in the form of free cash, vouchers or white goods. Whether you are eligible also varies depending on where you live but the help is usually available to those who are on a low income or benefits. Households in Portsmouth can now apply for the support, which is worth up to £150. The money is available to help residents most in need with everyday essentials including food and energy bills. It is also designed to help prevent people falling into, or further into, financial crisis. Households with the following postcodes can now apply: PO1 to PO6, PO7 5AT, PO7 5AU, PO7 5AX, PO7 5AY, PO7 5AZ, PO7 5BA, PO7 5BS, PO7 5BT or PO7 5BU. The council is giving eligible families a £50 supermarket voucher per child. That means if you have three children then you will receive £150. Families with children in reception to year 11 will get the vouchers automatically from their schools, as in the previous schemes. Household Support Fund explained Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains what you need to know about the Household Support Fund. If you're battling to afford energy and water bills, food or other essential items and services, the Household Support Fund can act as a vital lifeline. The financial support is a little-known way for struggling families to get extra help with the cost of living. Every council in England has been given a share of £421million cash by the government to distribute to local low income households. Each local authority chooses how to pass on the support. Some offer vouchers whereas others give direct cash payments. In many instances, the value of support is worth hundreds of pounds to individual families. Just as the support varies between councils, so does the criteria for qualifying. Many councils offer the help to households on selected benefits or they may base help on the level of household income. The key is to get in touch with your local authority to see exactly what support is on offer. And don't delay, the scheme has been extended until April 2025 but your council may dish out their share of the Household Support Fund before this date. Once the cash is gone, you may find they cannot provide any extra help so it's crucial you apply as soon as possible. You don't need to apply if your child is on the school register and already receives benefits-related free school meals. But other families can still apply for the vouchers. You can complete an application if you are on a low income and have children aged between zero and 19 who do not qualify for free school meals or if you or your partner are at least 20 weeks pregnant. For more information and to apply online visit If you can't complete the online application or upload proof of your situation, you can apply by calling 023 9268 8010. You need to submit your application by 12 noon on September 25. But you should apply as soon as possible as due to limited funding, the scheme may close early if all the funds have been given out. Which other councils are also offering support? Other councils are also offering support to vulnerable households. Among them is Sutton, which is offering residents support worth up to £150. To be eligible for the cash you must live in the borough of Sutton and have less than £3,000 in your bank account. Families in Middlesbrough can also apply for help with their energy bills, food and essential costs, such as council tax. To qualify for the support they need to live in Middlesbrough and have children who are eligible for income-related free school meals. Meanwhile, North Somerset Council has also announced it will provide food vouchers of up to £100 to those in need. Plus, families living in Worcestershire can apply to get cost of living cash worth £500. At the same time, Cheshire West Council's latest allocation of the Household Support Fund is worth £200. Keep an eye on your local council's website or social media channels to avoid missing out. Are you missing out on benefits? YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs. Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for. .

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store