NEARLY 3,000 council staff in Notts are set to get a pay rise by April after senior politicians at the city and county councils pledged to pay the "living wage".
Both authorities were keen on the idea of introducing the £7.45 living wage – the amount needed to lead a "decent life" – but had not committed to a date.
This is £1.26 an hour more than the legal minimum wage for adults of £6.19.
But at a meeting of Nottingham Citizens, an alliance of community groups, the timescales were revealed.
Speaking in front of more than 900 representatives from faith groups, trade unions and schools at the Albert Hall, Diana Meale from Notts County Council said the living wage would be introduced before the turn of the year.
Nottingham City Council deputy leader Graham Chapman said it would be introduced before next April.
The move will cost the city £844,000 a year to bring around 900 employees to the living wage.
The county council said they could not calculate the cost, but that more than 2,000 employees – 25 per cent of their workforce – would see their wage increase.
Mrs Meale, who is chairwoman of the Economic Development Committee, told the meeting that the Labour Group had committed to introduce the living wage before the election. She added: "We will keep our word and our commitment to pay the living wage to the 2,000 people who currently do not get paid this amount."
Mrs Meale added that the authority was also looking at encouraging the county council's suppliers to pay the living wage.
She said: "It is a voluntary thing, but all sorts of measures will be taken into account when we look at outside contracts, such as the living wage, apprentices and other ways in which we can stimulate growth in the county."
Alan Rhodes, leader of Notts County Council, said: "We recognise the significant financial challenges facing the county council but the findings of the Rowntree Foundation report – which showed living costs have risen by 25 per cent in the last five years – show that introducing the living wage is more important than ever."
Councillor Chapman, who is also the portfolio holder for finance at the city, said introducing the living wage was "a sensible thing to do."
He added: "Staff morale is higher and people are more productive. It also helps local businesses as people have more money in their pockets.
"But it will not be without consequences. We have a diminishing budget and there will be consequences of increasing wages at the bottom end, but it's a trade off that's necessary."
The Living Wage Foundation claims that more than 45,000 families have been lifted out of poverty as a direct result of the living wage.
