Pensions and Equal Pay (10/06/16)
I've had a good response to my recent post about the ongoing pensions dispute with Labour-run North Lanarkshire Council.
And although I already have a number of volunteers who are willing to speak to the press, it's always useful to have a few more case studies that I can share with the local and national newspapers.
So, if there are other readers out there who are prepared to speak up, then drop me a note (in confidence of course) to: markirvine@compuserve.com
Calling North Lanarkshire (02/06/16)
I wrote recently about the huge struggle that low paid workers in North Lanarkshire are having to wage just to access the local government pension scheme on the same basis as their male colleagues.
At the same time senior officials within the Council are having their pension pots boosted to the tune of tens of thousands of pounds - an extra £77,000 in the case of one official who was allowed to retire early last year.
Now I would like to highlight what's going on in North Lanarkshire with a case study or two involving people who are being directly affected by the Council's behaviour.
Ideally, individuals who have already retired and who are in a position to speak freely to the press without fear of recrimination.
So get in touch if you're willing to help turn up the heat on North Lanarkshire Council by dropping a note, in confidence of course, to: markirvine@compuserve.com
I'm sure that local MSPs and MPs will give their full backing to this campaign, so don't be shy about coming forward.
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NLC Update (30/05/16)
As regular readers know, the Council dragged this whole business out for months until the independent Scottish Information Commissioner (SIC) stopped in and put an end to North Lanarkshire's childish behaviour.
But there are still some issues worth highlighting in the Council's response which I've highlighted below:
- Why was the exit package of £218,000 reduced to 'only' £138,000 - was this in response to my FoI request?
- Why was a senior council official given added years to their pension entitlement, especially as this cost taxpayers an extra £77,000 in terms of 'strain on the fund'?
- Why did the Council's chief executive receive a 'good performance' bonus of £11,600 in a year when it became apparent that North Lanarkshire had made a terrible mess of equal pay?
- Why was the chief executive's renumeration package revised downwards in 2014/15 from £172, 699 to £152,178 - was this in response to my FOI request?
But if you ask me, the biggest scandal of all is the generosity shown by North Lanarkshire Council to its own senior officials over pensions when so many low paid women workers are still fighting for equal access to the local government pension scheme.
North Lanarkshire Update (14/05/16)
As regular readers will recall, I submitted an FoI request to North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) last year which senior council officials rejected initially as 'vexatious'.
But after an appeal to the independent Scottish Information Commissioner (SIC) my original FoI request was upheld and NLC was left with egg all over its face again having been told, effectively, by SIC to 'grow up and stop being so ridiculous'.
So after many months of delay, here's how the North Lanarkshire Council responded to my questions about pay, pension entitlements and the Council's draft accounts.
I will have more to say about the Council's response in the days ahead,but aren't some of the figures mind-boggling, especially when low paid workers in North Lanarkshire are having to fight to have their equal pay awards paid on a pensionable basis.
If you ask me, the Council's senior officials should hang their heads in shame.
FOI Request No. 1
23 July 2015
Gavin Whitefield
Chief Executive
North Lanarkshire Council
BY E-MAIL TO: whitefieldg@northlan.gov.uk
Dear Mr Whitefield
FOISA Request
I would like to make the following request under the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002:
1 I refer to North Lanarkshire Council's Annual Accounts for 2014/15 and specifically the section dealing with 'Exit Packages' on Page 85.
2 Please provide me with a breakdown of the cost of the Exit Package on that page which is reported as costing a total of £218,000.
3 In doing so please explain why the £218,000 figure is so much higher than the cost of the pension lump sum due to the Council's chief executive which is reported on Page 85 of the same document as £196,220 (excluding an annual pension of £79,300).
I look forward to your reply and would be grateful if you could respond to me by e-mail to: markirvine@compuserve.com
Kind regards
Mark Irvine
North Lanarkshire Council's response to FOI Request No 1
Request of 23 July 2015
· The exit package of £218,000 has been revised for the final accounts to £138k, based on new information received from the Strathclyde Pension Fund (SPF). The exit package value which was originally provided for an employee by the SPF and incorporated into the draft accounts is made up of £9k statutory redundancy, £77k strain on the fund and £52k Capitalised
· This sum does not relate to the former Chief Executive.
FOI Request No. 2
12 August 2015
Gavin Whitefield
Chief Executive
North Lanarkshire Council
BY E-MAIL TO: whitefieldg@northlan.gov.uk
Dear Mr Whitefield
FOISA Request
I would like to make the following request under the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002:
1 I refer to North Lanarkshire Council's Annual Accounts for 2014/15 and the section dealing with the remuneration of NLC chief officials.
2 Please provide me with a breakdown of the chief executive's annual remuneration package which is reported as £149,524 in 2013/14.
3 Please confirm whether the CEO's remuneration package included a 'performance bonus' element and if so, the amount involved.
I look forward to your reply and would be grateful if you could respond to me by e-mail to: markirvine@compuserve.com
Kind regards
Mark Irvine
North Lanarkshire Council's response to FOI Request No. 2
Request of 13 August 2015
· The breakdown of the sum of £149,524 listed in the annual accounts is as follows: -
£137,807 – Salary
£11,600 – Performance Related Pay
FOI Request No. 3
14 August 2015
Gavin Whitefield
Chief Executive
North Lanarkshire Council
BY E-MAIL TO: whitefieldg@northlan.gov.uk
Dear Mr Whitefield
FOISA Request
I would like to make the following request under the Freedom of Information Scotland Act 2002:
1 I refer to North Lanarkshire Council's Annual Accounts for 2014/15 and the section dealing with the remuneration of NLC chief officials.
2 Please provide me with a breakdown of the chief executive's annual remuneration package which is reported as £172,699 in 2014/15.
3 Please confirm whether the CEO's remuneration package included a 'performance bonus' element and if so, the amount involved.
I look forward to your reply and would be grateful if you could respond to me by e-mail to: markirvine@compuserve.com
Kind regards
Mark Irvine
North Lanarkshire Council's response to FOI Request No. 3
Request of 14 August 2015
· The sum of £172,699 has been revised for the final accounts to £159,601 and the breakdown of this amount is as follows: -
£152,178 - Salary
£7,423 – Returning Officer
The remuneration package did not include performance related pay.
