equal pay

Dear Mr Ovens,

Thank you for your information request dated 22/06/09.

I am happy to provide the information requested as follows:

Going back to the original 'envelope' for equal pay/single status, the
proviso was that the new structures were to be put in place at 'minimal'
additional cost to Councils. This is because we are not receiving
additional funds to meet these costs, but are having to meet them from
existing funding through our grant from the Scottish Government, and the
money received from our local Council Tax payers. Because there is going
to be an additional cost when the new structures are in place, the Council
will have to cut back in other areas of service provision in order to fund
this additional cost. This we have been doing, in building up a provision
over the last few years which will mean that the Council will have enough
in reserve to meet the additional cost. But the main point to make is
that the Council is going to have to meet the additional costs from
existing sources of funding.

As far as our Treasury Management activity is concerned, any funds that
the Council does have available for investment (and these would include
all provisions) would be carried out in global terms. It would be
inefficient for the Council to invest each provision in a separate bank
account - that would not constitute a proper stewardship of our funds.
Scottish Councils are also currently not allowed to invest for periods of
more than one year - losing the direct link from an event some years ago.

Final resolution of Equal Pay claims against the Council cannot take place
until the Council fully implements the National Agreement between
Employers and Trade Unions on Pay and Conditions of Service for Local
Government Employees, more commonly known as the Single Status Agreement.
This has involved detailed analysis of the jobs carried out by around
2000 employees, design of a new pay and grading structure and a review and
redesign of key terms & conditions of service to ensure compliance with
equality legislation. Local trade union negotiations around this have
been ongoing for some time in order to introduce the changes by agreement.
This substantial additional workload has had to be accommodated within the
Council's normal budgets and resources.

During this period, around 450 Equal Pay claims have already been settled.
The claimants had union and/or legal representation and the claims have
been met by agreed settlements that are full and final.

As to the question "If a claim is rejected in 2005 is the worker still
entitled to claim for that now?", Legislation allows claims for a maximum
period of five years (retrospectively) from the time it is submitted. Any
previous offer made and rejected falls at that point and depending on
circumstances a subsequent fresh claim might be submitted by a claimant.

best regards,

David Cartwright
HR Information Officer
Human Resources
Clackmannanshire Council
Greenfield
Tel: 01259 452179
Fax: 01259 452170
If you are not satisfied with this response, you may contact the
Council***s Head of Administration and Legal Services seeking a review of
your request. (the address is: Clackmannanshire Council, Greenfield, Alloa
FK10 2AD. (E.mail address is [1][email address])
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the review you have the right
to appeal directly to The Scottish Information Commissioner, Kinburn
Castle, Doubledykes Road, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9DS.

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References

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Mr Ovens,

Below is a response to your recent enquiry

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Clackmannanshire Council, Greenfield, Alloa, Clackmannanshire FK10 ||
| 2AD ||
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+

To:
Mr. Brian Ovens Contact: Rod Richardson
Tel. No: 01259 452000
Ref: SER02F9AC3
Date: 20/07/2009

Dear Mr. Ovens

Freedom of Information Enquiry: SER02F9AC3

Thank you for your information request received on 24/06/2009.

Having checked the records held, in terms of S17 of the Freedom of
Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I have established that we do not hold
the information you have requested.

You requested the names of the shareholders of Alva Academy, and all other
schools in Clackmannanshire.

In accordance with section 17 of FOISA I hereby give notice that the
information you require is not held by the Clackmannanshire Council.
School services are provided by the Council in its capacity as Education
Authority, and therefore the Council's schools do not have shareholders.

You also asked for a list of 'stakeholders' in relation to school
property. I have taken that term 'stakeholder' to mean 'anyone with a
legitimate interest', but not necessarily a financial one. In that
respect I would suggest that all pupils, parents, teachers, councillors
and indeed citizens of Clackmannanshire fall into that category.

Yours sincerely

Rod Richardson

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| If you are not satisfied with this response, you may contact the |
| Council***s Head of Administration and Legal Services seeking a review |
| of your request. (the address is: Clackmannanshire Council, |
| Greenfield, Alloa FK10 2AD. (Email address: |
| [email address]). If you are not satisfied with the |
| outcome of the review you have the right to appeal directly to The |
| Scottish Information Commissioner, Kinburn Castle, Doubledykes Road, |
| St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9DS. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Dear Mr Ovens,

"In global terms" simply means as a lump sum.

The money is simply deposited in a bank account.

best regards,

David Cartwright
HR Information Officer
Human Resources
Clackmannanshire Council
Greenfield
Tel: 01259 452179
Fax: 01259 452170
[mobile number]

brian ovens To David Cartwright
<[FOI #13535 email]> <[email address]>
cc
22/07/2009 21:36 Subject Re: Freedom of Information
request - equal pay

Dear David Cartwright,

thank you for your recent reply on equal pay. i was wondering if
you could clear a couple of things up please? you said in your
reply, and i quote, "as far as our treasury management activity is
concerned, any funds that the council does have available for
investment (and these include all provisions) would be carried out
in global terms". can you tell me what you means by global terms
and what will you be investing in in global terms?

Yours sincerely,

brian ovens

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