David Powell
Officers’ Side Secretary
Soulbury Committee
Hamilton House
Mabledon Place
London
WC1 9BD
22 November 2023
Dear David,
Soulbury - Pay 2022 and pay 2023
Following our recent Joint Secretaries’ meeting, I set out below a full and final offer on behalf of the Employers’ Side in response to the Officers’ Side’s pay and conditions claim for 2022. We can also confirm a final pay offer for 2023.
This is as follows:
- An increase of £1,925 on all pay points with effect from 1 September 2022.
- An increase of 4.04% on all allowances with effect from 1 September 2022.
- An increase of 4.0% on all pay points with effect from 1 September 2023.
- An increase of 3.88% on all allowances with effect from 1 September 2023.
In terms of the pay structure elements in your claim for 2022, we can agree to the following with effect from 1 September 2023.
1.In the spine for Education Improvement Professionals (EIPs), there should be two additional points after point 50.
2. In the scale for Trainee Educational Psychologists, point 1 should be eliminated, making point 2 the first point of the scale.
3. In the scale for Assistant Educational Psychologists, point 1 should be eliminated, making point 2 the first point of the scale.
4. In the scale A for Educational Psychologists, there should be three additional points after point 11.
5. In the scale for Senior and Principal Educational Psychologists, there should be three additional points after point 18.
6. Paragraph 4.6 of the Soulbury Report should be amended to state that main scale educational psychologists would be awarded an allowance equivalent to one additional incremental point on Scale A for the duration of supervising assistant educational psychologists as well as for supervising trainee educational psychologists.
We agree that these changes to the pay structure reflect the importance of the work of Soulbury Officers. We are committed to positive future, without prejudice, discussions on this, keeping pay structure issues under review, in order to recruit, retain and properly value Soulbury Officers. These future discussions will also focus on improving working conditions other than pay, to ensure that Soulbury Officers’ expertise is fully utilised to the benefit of children, young people, and their families.
The pay points added to the top of Scale A for Educational Psychologists indicate the addition of three pay ranges to the current ranges, namely: A1 – 6, A2 – 7, A3 – 8, A4 – 9, A5 – 10 and A6 –11. SPA points will not be conflated with range points. This allows those local authorities with recruitment and retention challenges and which have the budgetary flexibility, the option to utilise that additional headroom.
This will also apply to the pay points added to the top of the EIP scale and Scale B for Educational Psychologists. This will be to competitively recruit and retain Soulbury Officers to these posts.
In terms of the other elements of your claim:
7. All educational psychologists should be reimbursed the costs of their required two-yearly registration with the Health and Care Professions Council - the next renewal will be in April 2023 and will cost £196.24.
The Employers’ Side believes that it should be for individual authorities to have the discretion to decide whether to reimburse the costs of registration fees on behalf of employees. The Employers’ Side therefore rejects this element of your claim.
8. A review of SPA points - A joint survey of local authorities, a review of the joint Soulbury guidance on SPA points to ensure clarity and consistent application and consideration of a fourth SPA point.
9. The criteria for the third SPA point should be reviewed to ensure that officers are not unreasonably denied progression and the addition of a fourth SPA point should be considered.
The Employers’ Side can agree to a joint survey of local authorities and a review of SPA points on a without prejudice basis.
10. Discussions on the role of the Soulbury Officer.
The Employers’ Side can commit to these discussions, at Joint Secretarial level, on a without prejudice basis.
11. A review of London Area Payments.
The Employers’ Side can commit to these discussions, at Joint Secretarial level, on a without prejudice basis.
As previously agreed, as part of the NJC Local Government Services pay settlement last year, an increase in annual leave provision should also be applied for Soulbury Officers in accordance with paragraph 10.1 of the Soulbury National Agreement.
The Employers' Side hopes that this final offer for both 2022 and 2023 can bring an end to this dispute and form the basis of an agreement so that Soulbury Officers, who continue to provide such critical support to their communities, can receive a pay rise as soon as possible. These negotiations have been very difficult and challenging due to the funding situation faced by local authorities.
We hope that you will now consult with your members on their offer and we would be grateful if you could update us on the timetable for this process. We look forward to hearing the Officers' Side's response.
Yours sincerely
David Algie
Employers’ Side Secretariat
The LGA, 18 Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ
T: 020 7187 7373
E: [email protected]