A GWENT council’s leadership has committed to being accredited as a Real Living Wage employer.
Monmouthshire County Council has already been paying the voluntary enhanced rate to its lowest paid staff sine 2015.
It is set by the Living Wage Foundation and intended to reflect the cost of living and what workers require to achieve a “decent standard of living” and is currently £12.60 which is 39 pence more an hour than the legal minimum National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over.
The council’s Labour/Green Party cabinet has now agreed to seek accreditation, which means contractors supplying it with services, but not products, will also have to pay the higher rate.
A report for the cabinet stated an evaluation, carried out after the cabinet agreed in principle to seek accreditation last November, found one current supplier of services pays the National Minimum Wage, as opposed to the Real Living Wage.
When the contract is retendered, it will need to include a requirement for contractors to pay the Real Living Wage which could result in a higher price for the contract.
Monmouthshire will now work with sustainability organisation Cynnal Cymru on accreditation.
Councillor Ben Callard, the Labour member responsible for finance, said it was “really pleasing to bring the report” to the cabinet.
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Labour leader Mary Ann Brocklesby said the previous Conservative administration should also be recognised for supporting the enhanced rate which it paid to council staff.
She said: “We should pay our respects to previous administrations who committed to paying the Real Living Wage and ensuring we treat all our employees with respect and dignity.”
Cllr Brocklesby said accreditation was something the cabinet “all want to agree”.
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