THREE heads of service roles within Newport City Council are set for a pay increase in the region of £10,000 after councillors voted in favour of amending the pay grades.

On Tuesday evening, members clashed over the possibility of re-aligning the salaries of the heads of adult’s services, children’s services and regeneration, housing and investment.

At present, those three roles are below the other five positions also falling within the heads of services portfolio across three different pay grades.

Chief executive Will Godfrey said: “There was a report presented to you [the council] in November 2015 about heads of service structure and at that time, I alluded to the issue of the fact that we’ve been through a major evaluation process within the organisation.

“Essentially, the only group of staff who were excluded from that process were the heads of service,” adding later that the evaluation of those three roles has not taken place since 2005.

Mr Godfrey confirmed that under the new proposals, there would be two pay grades instead of three, which would eventually lead to a saving.

Ratified by the independent remuneration panel set up by Welsh Government, the changes will represent an overall saving of £55,000 – made possible by deleting another senior post and sharing the responsibilities.

The meeting centred on the aspect of the plans relating to the evaluation process, which saw an independent panel verify them ahead of Newport council’s decision.

Cllr Chris Evans, who voted against the increase, said after the meeting: “I appreciate the work these employees do, but when services are being cut I just couldn’t support the motion.

“In Rogerstone, we have street lights out, volunteers – good people – collecting litter, and trying to maintain the canal bank, a parent who couldn’t get a place for their disabled kid on a summer play scheme and a shortage of schools places in local schools for local kids… the list goes on.”

However, cllr Debbie Wilcox voted in favour of the plans, and hoped to bring to an end issues of unequal pay within the council framework.

“To think that it is 2016 and we are still debating issues like my colleagues’ raises in terms of fairness and equality,” said the council leader, referencing her time teaching the book ‘Made in Dagenham’ which has a theme of pay discrepancy.

“We have a responsibility as an employing authority to ensure that our staff are appropriately remunerated throughout the system.”