Powys County Council committed to becoming a Living Wage Employer during this year’s Living Wage Week. The council is striving to obtain Living Wage accreditation and implementing this measure to ensure that all employees receive sufficient wages to support themselves and their loved ones. Councillors Jake Berriman and Matthew Dorrance announced this decision in a video shown during the Mid and West Wales Living Wage Region event on November 7th.
“As cabinet member for Human Resources, I’m delighted to say that as part of our stronger, fairer, greener corporate strategic equalities plan, Powys council pays the real Living Wage which we extended to our apprentices this year demonstrating pay equality across our workforce.
Cllr Jake Berriman – Powys County Council
I am delighted that this liberal democrat and labour administration has committed to pursuing real Living Wage accreditation making us a more attractive place to work and to do business with.”
The Living Wage is a voluntary rate of pay that is based on the cost of living and is calculated independently by the Living Wage Foundation. It is designed to ensure that workers are paid enough to live on, rather than just the legal minimum wage. Becoming a Living Wage employer means that Powys County Council will pay all of its employees at least the Living Wage, which is currently set at £12.00 per hour outside of London.
The commitment to become a Living Wage employer is a significant step towards ensuring that the council’s employees are paid fairly for the work that they do. It sends a powerful message that the council values its workforce and is committed to creating a fairer and more equal society. They will join over 550 accredited employers in Wales.
“I am delighted that Powys County Council is committed to achieving accredited Living Wage Employer status. Through our stronger, fairer, greener plan we’ve set out our vision to achieve this goal. We know that by reaching this ambition we will be doing the right thing for our staff and for our local economy. we’re committed to working with partners across the Mid and West Wales region, as we all work together to build a stronger, fairer, greener future.”
Cllr Matthew Dorrance – Powys County Council
Overall, this is a positive development that will have a significant impact on the lives of council employees. By committing to becoming a Living Wage employer, Powys County Council is leading the way in promoting fair pay and ensuring that all workers are able to earn a wage that is sufficient to live on.