Job shake-up set for axe
A controversial job evaluation scheme, which could slash the wages of hundreds of Staffordshire council workers, is expected to be binned this week - despite costing local tax payers almost £3 million.
Work has been ongoing on the introduction of a new pay scheme since 2001 and in total the local authority has spent £2,935,088 on developing the plans.
Despite the huge expense the proposals, which were published at the end of the five-year project, are expected to be dumped at a meeting of the county council's cabinet tomorrow as they are ''unpopular'' with staff, some of whom will lose more than £10,000 a year if the scheme is implemented.
Job Evaluation hit the headlines in recent months, when it was revealed that 7,000 workers, 25 per cent of the council's workforce, would see wages slashed.
And as well as the £3 million research exercise the scheme would cost a massive £30.3 million to implement, with the wage bill for the county to increase annually by £2.4 million.
Figures obtained from the council show that in 2001/02 £52,532 was spent on job evaluation moving up to £260,432 in 2002/03, £289,340 in 2003/04 peaking at £964,380 - in 2004/05.
In 2005/06 the authority spent £753,590 on the project, with £614,814 spent so far this financial year.
An insider at the council believes that the authority will be forced to shelve its plans as they are so unpopular with staff - which would force the council back to the drawing board and cost millions.
Our source said that cabinet will be forced to throw out the proposals because of the strength of feeling from the staff - and warned that the council cannot afford to pay staff more, so jobs will have to go.
He said: "The council cannot agree to adopt the pay structure put forward last month when there is such widespread opposition to it.
"A total of 75 per cent of those who responded to the consultation exercise so far said no to the new pay structure and the cabinet cannot ignore that."
Terry Dix, leader of Staffordshire County Council, will formally recommend the Cabinet decide on ''whether and how'' to proceed with the pay reform proposals.
Councillor John Taylor, deputy leader of Staffordshire County Council, said: "From day one, Cabinet set out its desire that the implementation of Job Evaluation should be with the broad agreement with our employees and through a collective agreement with the trade unions."
