Liberal Democrat-run Somerset Council has confirmed that its pay and grading review could result in an £8 million increase to the annual payroll bill by 2026/27, on top of the £3 million already allocated to fund the review.
At the latest Full Council meeting, Councillor Barry Clarke, representing Mendip Central & East, challenged the Liberal Democrat-run authority over its decision to commit millions of pounds to a new pay review, despite already undergoing major reorganisation following the formation of the unitary council.
“We’ve had the formation of the unitary authority, a redundancy programme, and further reorganisation,” Councillor Clarke told the meeting. “In the current climate of overspends and likely deficits until 2029, do we really need to spend £3 million on an outside body telling us what we should and shouldn’t be doing with pay? Three years in, someone ought to have a handle on this already.”
When pressed further, the Executive confirmed that Somerset Council’s Medium-Term Financial Plan includes a provision for up to £8 million in increased salary costs following the outcome of the review.
Councillor Diogo Rodrigues, Leader of the Conservative Opposition, sought clarity during the discussion:
“So we’re spending up to £3 million on this pay grading programme, which could then result in an £8 million increase in payroll expenditure. I just want to make sure that’s clear to the public.”
The administration claimed the review was necessary to address issues in recruitment and equal pay risk.
