HR puff and stuff

One of the less glamorous backwaters in which the unsung heroes of County Hall sometimes paddle unnoticed is the Human Resources Committee. Their lives are about to get much more interesting - so interesting that I fear for their future.

Starting next week, the members of this Cornwall Council committee have to start thinking of a form of words which will justify the £100,000+/year salaries paid to senior officers - or in the case of chief executive Kevin Lavery, £200,000+/year.

This is because the Localism Act requires

"a pay policy statement that is sufficiently clear and accessible that local taxpayers can take an informed view about whether the Council's policies are fair and make best use of public funds."

The need to spin this the right way is obvious, as a report to next week's HR committee makes plain:

"Pay, particularly senior pay, is a constant topic of interest for the press and the public. Although the preparation of the Council's pay policy statement will amount to a summary of existing policies it is likely to generate a lot of interest. It will be essential that an appropriate context and tone for the statement is set and that the statement itself uses plain language and is readily accessible."

I'm particularly looking forward to the "plain language." The committee has until the full council meeting on 27th March to come up with the right form of words.

At the same time, next week's HR committee agenda includes an item headed "The Future Of The Human Resources Committee," with the suggestion that an informal working group might help progress "specific issues."

I am confident that these two items are completely unrelated and that their timing and juxtaposition on next week's agenda is a total coincidence.