LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAY CLAIM 2009-10

That this House notes with concern the 0.5 per cent. pay offer for 2009-10 made to local government staff in England and Wales on National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC) conditions; believes this offer is worth no more than an extra three pence an hour to over 150,000 low paid local government workers; regrets that this offer has been made despite the fact that the respective local authorities have submitted budgets to the Department for Communities and Local Government with an average provision of 2.2 per cent. for NJC pay; and calls on the local government employers to offer a pay award in line with the budgeted increase which includes a strong emphasis on fair rewards for the lowest paid and hard pressed sections of the workforce.