Working for us

When determining remuneration levels, the council is mindful of the requirement to balance the needs of managing scarce public resources with the need to secure and retain high-quality employees. 

The council aligns its reward strategy with organisational needs by an emphasis on cash rewards, and ensuring that pay is determined by job requirements.

The council aims to operate a consistent and equitable organisation-wide reward system by placing the responsibility for remuneration decisions with a committee of elected councillors, the General Purposes Committee, and the responsibility for administering the pay policy within the council's Human Resources team.

Section 38 (1) of the Localism Act 2011 requires the council to prepare an annual pay policy statement for 2025/26. The Act specifies that the following must be included in the pay policy statement:

• the level and elements of remuneration for each chief officer
• the policy on the remuneration of chief officers on recruitment
• increases and additions to their remuneration including performance related pay, bonuses, charges, fees, allowances, benefits in kind and termination payments
• a definition of the 'lowest paid employees' and the policy on the remuneration of this group
• the policy on the relationship between the remuneration of its chief officers and other officers
• the policy on re-employing someone who has been made redundant.

Remuneration of statutory and non-statutory Chief Officers and Deputy Chief Officers

The term 'chief officer' within The Localism Act includes both statutory and non-statutory chief officers, and their deputies.  The actual remuneration for these roles is available to view

The salary scales for the statutory and non-statutory Chief Officers and Deputy Chief Officers in post on 1 April 2024 is set out below.

Fee for acting as the Returning Officer

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council is required to appoint a Returning Officer by virtue of section 35 of the Representation of the People Act 1983. 

In Tonbridge and Malling, the Chief Executive has been appointed as the Returning Officer.  This is a personal appointment, separate from their other duties.  In this capacity they are the Returning Officer for UK Parliamentary elections and elections to the Borough Council and to Parish Councils within this Borough. 

The Returning Officer fee is payable for the substantial additional duties undertaken, and leadership required of the Returning Officer in planning, delivering and undertaking the elections, and recognises the personal nature and personal responsibility of the role of the Returning Officer.

For Borough and Parish Council elections, the Returning Officer fee is calculated in accordance with an agreed Kent Scale of Fees.  For National, and Police & Crime Commissioner elections the fee rate is set by central government.

Remuneration of the lowest paid employees

In compliance with Section 38 of the Localism Act, for the purposes of this statement the 'lowest paid employee' has been defined as those who are engaged by the council as Cleaners.

On 1 April 2024 employees in these posts received a full-time annual salary equivalent of approximately £22,128.

Decision on pay

The pay of all council employees (including chief officers) is determined by the evaluated grade of the post.  The pay band for most jobs within the council (including chief officers) is very narrow, typically based on 3 or 4 incremental points. 

Progression through the pay band is based on length of service, subject to the achievement of expected performance standards, and thus recognises development in a role over time based on the accumulation of experience and knowledge. 

It is anticipated that during 2025/26 the total number of permanent and fixed term contract staff on the council's payroll will be approximately 265 in any one month.

The council has not adopted the national local government job evaluation or grading schemes but has developed a locally negotiated framework that more closely reflects its own requirements. 

Within this framework there are two remuneration 'families'.  The first has been developed for the council's professional and senior managerial cohorts, and includes chief officers.  The second is for supervisory, technical and administrative staff.

All staff (including chief officers) are appointed to the organisation at the bottom of the grade, unless there are exceptional circumstances based on business need. 

Annual Pay Award

The salary of all council employees (including chief officers) may increase annually by an annual pay award which is locally determined taking into consideration:

• 'caps' on public sector pay rates set by the Government
• the council’s ability to pay
• inflation levels
• the 'going rate' of pay awards in neighbouring authorities and nationally
• recruitment and retention levels.

Pay structure and pay relationships.

The Code of Recommended Practice for Local Authorities on Data Transparency September 2011 requires that there is a process established to monitor the rate of growth of senior earnings compared to all other employees in the organisation. 

On 1 April 2024 there was a multiple of 6.15 between the base level salary of the Interim Chief Executive and the lowest paid member of staff, reflecting the differences in skill sets, complexity and span of control from the lowest to the highest paid employees of the council.

The salary (inclusive of allowances) for the post of Interim Chief Executive was £136,096 (as at 1 April 2024). 

The median full time equivalent salary for all other employees in Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council is in the region of £33,297, the mean full time equivalent salary is in the region of £38,673. The pay multiple is therefore approximately 4.08 against the median and 3.52 against the mean. 

The council's bespoke grading structure for employees with professional and specialised high level skill sets is entitled the 'M' grade framework.  All those referred to as chief officers within this pay policy statement fall within the 'M grade' framework.  

A feature of the M grade framework is that the remuneration levels for all M grade posts (including those of chief officers), are fixed as a percentage of the benchmark grade M2. Therefore, the grading structure specifies the pay multiples attached to each grade as a percentage of the lowest incremental point of grade M2.

Posts are positioned within the M grade framework on the basis of the required specialist knowledge, professional skills, depth of professional and managerial judgement, and managerial span of control. Broadly speaking the range of capabilities required for junior M grade posts (M9 – M7 inclusive) equate to professional and/or managerial capability equivalent to qualification Level 6.

Those occupying senior managerial posts graded M6 to M4 are required to possess both professional and managerial skill sets equivalent to Level 7. All three director level chief officer posts are graded as M2a. The professional and managerial capabilities and span of control required at director level broadly equate to Level 8.

A Level 8 degree of professional and managerial expertise is also required for the post of the Chief Executive and the Deputy Chief Executive. This, alongside the extensive span of control intrinsic to the role of paid head of service for the entire council workforce, merits the grade of M1 for the Chief Executive and M2 for their deputy.  

Supervisory, technical and clerical grades

The council has developed a bespoke grading structure for its supervisory, technical and clerical staff that ranges from the grade of senior officer to clerical scale 1. Broadly speaking the managerial, professional and skill set required for posts graded Senior Officer equate to qualification Level 5, posts graded scale 5-6 equate to Level 4, posts graded scale 3-4 to Level 3, posts graded scale 1-2 require a Level 1-2 skill set.

The council considers that the relationship between the base salaries of its highest and lowest paid employees, as well as the relationship between the highest paid and the mean and medial salaries of the entire workforce, represents an appropriate, fair and equitable internal pay relationship.

Policies common to all employees

The following elements of remuneration are determined by corporate policies or arrangements which apply to all permanent employees of the council (including its chief officers and deputy chief officers), regardless of their pay level, status or grading.  Full details on any of the policies listed below can be provided on request.

The council aims to have a streamlined and transparent pay structure and therefore it does not pay performance related or total contribution bonuses, location allowances, or subsidy towards child care costs.

Pension contributions for all employees opting to join the Local Government Pension Scheme are nationally determined.

Payments on termination of employment

According to the Local Government (Early Termination of Employment) (Discretionary Compensation) (England and Wales) Regulations 2006 the council has the power to make discretionary payments on early termination of employment.

The council has determined that it will calculate payments made to any eligible employee (including chief officers) who are made redundant or who depart on the grounds of the efficiency of the service by using the Government’s statutory redundancy payment calculator formula and the employee’s actual weekly pay.

For those who depart on the grounds of redundancy or efficiency of the service, the council does not increase the employee’s total pension scheme membership (other than those staff aged over 55, in line with the rules of the Local Government Scheme) or award additional pension. This response to the Local Government Pension Scheme (Administration) Regulations 2008 applies to all employees, including chief and deputy chief officers.

For those who chose to retire 'early', the council does not increase the employee’s total pension scheme membership or award additional pension.

The council's policy is that it does not re-employ anyone (including chief or deputy chief officers) who has left with a severance or redundancy payment, nor does it re-engage them on a self-employed basis with a contract for services.

Market Supplement Payments

The council introduced a Recruitment and Market Supplements Policy in October 2023.

The council may utilise a market supplement to ensure that competitive salaries will attract and retain key workers in skill shortage areas without distorting the pay structures for all other employees.

A market supplement for recruitment or retention purposes will only be used where there are clear business reasons that cannot be better addressed through the other means, such as job design, utilising existing skills within the department or service or use of temporary or agency staff for a time limited period.

It is recognised that pay is only one factor contributing to our attractiveness as an employer and other aspects of the employment offer, particularly those relating to development, should be applied in the first instance rather than using a market supplement.

Car allowances

For those posts where it is deemed that there is an essential requirement for the post holder to use a car to perform their job, and they are expected to travel in excess of 2,500 miles per annum in the course of their duties, the post holder receives a lump sum Essential Car User allowance to contribute towards the associated running costs of the car in accordance with the rates previously set by the National Joint Council.

The council previously had a lease car scheme which has not been open to new staff to join since June 2020. The lease car scheme is now no longer in operation as of November 2022 when the last remaining lease car holder ceased their participation in the scheme.

The council no longer pays an equivalent payment as an alternative to a lease car but certain specific posts have been identified to receive a Car Allowance. 

Telephone allowances

Those employees who are deemed to be essential users of mobile telephones receive a mobile telephone allowance or a council issued mobile phone.

Professional fees

Annual professional subscription fees to one relevant professional body are reimbursed to those employees where it is deemed an essential requirement for the post holder to belong to a professional institute. 

Reimbursement of removal/relocation costs on appointment and mortgage subsidy scheme

The council's relocation and mortgage subsidy schemes provide financial assistance (within pre-defined limits) to employees who re-locate from outside a reasonable travel area to the Borough to take up an appointment with the council .

Subsistence Allowance

The council reimburses expenditure on meals, accommodation, and any other expenses necessarily (within pre-defined limits) incurred by employees who have to be away from home on council business.

Standby and call out allowances

Any employee who is required to undertake standby and call-out duties will be recompensed at the appropriate rate in accordance with the negotiated policy and payment rate for their role.