News

Around 320 social workers, 50 occupational therapy staff and 500 home care staff could win pay increases of up to £2,000 per year at Bristol Council, states a new report.

Work is under way at the council to review the pay of key social services staff as part of the local authority's drive to implement the single status agreement on pay and conditions.

In September, it emerged that only 20 of the 410 local authorities had implemented the single status agreement, which requires employers to evaluate jobs and regrade pay accordingly (News, page 3, 6 September 2001).

But at Bristol new grades and pay could be effective from April or May.

Executive councillor for social services and health Jenny Smith said: "This should come as good news to social services staff, including those concerned about changes to essential car user allowances, and will demonstrate that we are committed to delivering our promise of fairer pay as part of the single status agreement."

Unison's head of local government, Malcolm Wing, said more councils were implementing the single status agreement but "progress was painfully slow".

Wing estimated that 37 authorities had now implemented the scheme. The majority of these were small district authorities, which had a narrow range of jobs and much smaller numbers, he added.