Agenda item

(CSP: 2 & 5)

Purpose: To seek approval for:

1.     A change to the pay rates for apprentices with effect from 1^st April 2014.

2.     Two apprenticeship posts to be created; one to be funded by Public Health and a budget to be identified by the Head of Finance.

3.     To provide information for the Executive on the employment of apprentices at the Council to date.

4.     To set a target of appointing a minimum of 15 apprentices each year.

Resolved that:

1.      one apprenticeship post reserved for a disabled applicant to be established. This post to be funded by, and placed in, Public Health in 2014/15.

2.      one apprenticeship reserved for a Looked After Child (LAC) applicant be established. This post to be funded from a budget to be identified by the Head of Finance (a budget pressure).

3.      With effect from 1^st April 2014 all new and existing apprentices to be paid the age related national minimum wage (NMW) unless the Head of Service creates a more responsible apprenticeship role which will be paid on the minimum spinal column point on the WBC pay grades.

4.      The Executive to set a target for Directorates to employ a minimum of 15 apprentices each year (five per directorate unless otherwise agreed at Corporate Board).

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 21^st February 2014, then it will be implemented.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 14) which sought approval for:

1.     A change to the pay rates for apprentices with effect from 1^st April 2014.

2.     Two apprenticeship posts to be created; one to be funded by Public Health and a budget to be identified by the Head of Finance.

3.     To provide information for the Executive on the employment of apprentices at the Council to date.

4.     To set a target of appointing a minimum of 15 apprentices each year.

Councillor Alan Law stated that the Council had been a leading promoter and implementer of the Apprentice programme and in 2012 had been awarded a Certificate of Excellence by the West Berkshire Training Consortium. At one stage 18 apprentices had been employed by the Council but this number had fallen last year due to difficulties in recruiting on the minimum wage for apprentices of £2.68 per hour. It was therefore proposed that existing and future apprentices should be paid on the age-related national minimum wage of £3.72 per hour for under 18 and £5.03 per hour for 18-20 year olds. A target of employing 15 apprentices per year should be set with one apprenticeship post being reserved for a disabled young person as requested by the DES Board and for a LAC applicant as requested by the Communities Directorate.

Councillor Gwen Mason was pleased to see that two posts would be specifically reserved for a disabled young person and a looked after child and also welcomed the pay increase.

Councillor Jeff Brooks was also supportive of the proposals. He referred to a recent letter which he had written to the Leader of the Council which had suggested that the Council should implement procurement practices and questioned how the Council’s suppliers would respond to apprenticeships. The Leader had indicated that that suggestion had made sense and Councillor Brooks queried what progress had been made. Councillor Roger Croft confirmed that this issue had been raised at a Procurement Board meeting a couple of weeks’ ago and had been agreed in principle. It would be discussed in more detail at the next meeting of the Board.

RESOLVED that:

1.      One apprenticeship post reserved for a disabled applicant be established. This post to be funded by, and placed in, Public Health in 2014/15.

2.      One apprenticeship reserved for a Looked After Child (LAC) applicant be established. This post to be funded from a budget to be identified by the Head of Finance (a budget pressure).

3.      With effect from 1^st April 2014 all new and existing apprentices to be paid the age related national minimum wage (NMW) unless the Head of Service created a more responsible apprenticeship role which would be paid on the minimum spinal column point on the WBC pay grades.

4.      The Executive to set a target for Directorates to employ a minimum of 15 apprentices each year (five per directorate unless otherwise agreed at Corporate Board).

Reason for the decision: Following a request by Management Board.

Other options considered: To discontinue the scheme. Rejected for the reasons described in the report. To continue to pay most apprentices on the NMW for Apprentices.  Rejected for the reasons described in the report.