Salaries and Benefits

• Salaries
• Benefits
• Working hours
• Holiday
• Local Government pension
• Child care
• Sick pay
• Season ticket loan
• Car allowances/Car loans
• Car parking
• Removal & relocation
• Housing support scheme
• Fitness
• Bus Pass Discounts and Cycle Loans

The council offers a competitive salaries and benefits package which is regularly reviewed.

Salaries

Our job adverts tell you the salary we’re offering.  These are based on a local grading structure.  Full salary scales are shown below.

All council employees are paid monthly, on the last working day of the month and payments are made directly into bank/building society accounts.

Subject to satisfactory performance, salary increases are paid on 1 April each year until you reach the maximum for that grade.

Annual cost of living pay rises are negotiated and agreed nationally, are effective from 1 April and are subject to locally agreed implementation in consultation with the Trade Unions.

• Local salary grades (47kb)
• Craftworkers (11kb)
• Management grades (44kb)
• Chief Officers/Directors (44kb)

Benefits

Working hours

Standard working hours are 37 per week but part time posts are available and posts can be considered for job sharing unless stated.  Starting and finishing times vary according to the nature of the work but standard office hours are 8.45 am until 5.15 pm Monday to Thursday (with an hour for lunch) and 8.45 am until 4.45 pm Friday.

We recognise that Work/Life Balance is important to everyone and greater flexibility in working arrangements can help our employees balance home and work more effectively.  This can also enable the council to provide more effective and efficient services.

Holiday

Leave entitlement varies according to grade and continuous local government service see table below:

Entitlement based on grade and duration of continuous service

Grade	0 - 4 years	5 years service
LG01 - LG04	20 days	25 days
LG05 - LG06	21 days	26 days
LG07 - LG11	22 days	27 days
Craft Workers	21 days	26 days
Managers Grade	25 days	30 days
Directors	30 days	35 days

Employees are entitled to normal Bank and Public Holidays although in some sections special arrangements apply due to the need to maintain services.

In addition, two extra statutory days and a discretionary day are granted which are used to enable a complete Christmas to New Year closure of the Civic Offices.

Local Government Pension

It is never too early to start a pension.  As a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), you will belong to a scheme providing access to high-quality pension benefits based on final pay.

The LGPS is a contributory scheme where employees pay between 5.5% and 7.5% of their earnings (determined by the full time pay of the job) towards their pension and the council a further sum, currently around 18%.  If you pay into a company, occupational or personal pension scheme you can ask for the benefits you have built up to be transferred into the LGPS.

Child Care

The council helps with child care costs by operating a Childcare Voucher salary sacrifice scheme through Busy Bees  (this is an external hyperlink, opens in a new window)

In addition council employees receive preferential nursery rates as follows:-

Good Manors Day Nursery

Offer a 5% discount.  Their nurseries offer childcare for children aged 3 months to 5 years; they have 46 and 60 place nurseries in Fareham.

If you would like a look around please contact them on 01329 230123 or 823222 or visit their website for more information

www.goodmanors.co.uk (this is an external hyperlink, opens in a new window)

Please note that Fareham Borough Council is unable to recommend this nursery as a preferred provider.

Other child care facilities in the Borough.

Sick Pay

The council takes its responsibilities to manage sickness absence seriously.  If you are ill and unable to work you will generally be entitled to occupational sick pay depending on the circumstances.  Your exact entitlement will vary according to length of service.

Season Ticket Loan

If you travel to work by public transport we offer an interest free season ticket loan repayable by deduction from your salary.

Car allowances/car loans

If it is a contractual requirement that you provide a car for use on council business at all times you are termed an “essential user”.  As an essential user you will be entitled to free car parking and receive payment of an essential car user allowance.  The job advert will indicate whether the post is an “essential user”.  If you do not currently own a vehicle then loans are available from the council at preferential rates to assist with car purchase.  Terms and conditions apply.

A casual user car allowance is paid to employees who occasionally use their vehicle on council business.

If you have a disability and do not hold a driving licence or have access to an appropriate vehicle, please don’t be deterred from applying for any posts which require travel in the borough if you can demonstrate that you can meet this requirement by other means e.g. public transport.

Car parking

Free car parking is only provided for employees who are “essential users”.

It is possible to purchase an annual or quarterly season ticket for parking in long stay car parks and the cost can be deducted from salary by instalments.

Parking facilities are also available for blue badge holders

Removal & Relocation (69kb)

Fareham Borough Council operates a generous and flexible scheme to help newly appointed employees to meet the cost of relocation, removal and other related expenses.

Housing Support Scheme  (104kb)

This scheme provides financial support to newly appointed employees moving to Fareham from outside the South East Region (SE Region is taken to include Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, London, Bedfordshire, Essex).

Get fit/keep fit!

Banana Fitness offers all council staff the opportunity to become a member with a half price ‘start up fee’ and a further 20% discount on monthly membership payments.

Why not have a look at www.bananafitness.net (this is an external hyperlink, opens in a new window) to find out what they can offer you or contact a membership advisor at Fareham Leisure Centre (this is an external hyperlink, opens in a new window) on 01329 -233652.

Please note that Fareham Borough Council is unable to recommend Banana Fitness as a preferred provider.

Bus Pass Discounts and Cycle Loans

Fareham Borough Council employees are entitled to a 10% discount off First Bus travel passes.  Passes are available for 1, 3, or 12 months.

Fareham Borough Council employees are entitled to an interest free loan to purchase bicycles.  The loan is up to a maximum of £500 and can also be used to purchase protective equipment such as cycle helmets and lights.