BLAENAU GWENT councillors will be asked to agree an extra day’s holiday for council staff, as well as authorising enhanced pay for staff working over the Christmas period.

At a special meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council on Wednesday, December 21, councillors will consider the extra day’s holiday which is part of a national agreement as well as the Christmas working and pay arrangements.

Head of organisational development, Andrea Prosser said: “On November 1 the NJC (National Joint Council) for Local Government Services, wrote to all Local Authorities advising that a pay agreement for 2022/23 had been reached with the joint Trade Unions.”

The main parts of the agreement is to award and extra £1,925 for staff and also the extra day’s holiday

The agreement also deletes a local government pay grade, SCP 1 . Due to this Blaenau Gwent will need to review it’s pay grade structure in the New Year.

Ms Prosser said: “Staff are currently entitled to 25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days (pro rata for part time staff) after five years continuous service.

“In line with the national agreement, staff will be entitled to 26 days and 31 days respectively with effect from April 1 2023.

“The additional days leave will be added to all employees 2023 entitlement at the beginning of their birth month.

“The trade unions have been consulted on this and agree with this approach.”

As Christmas, New Year’s and Boxing Days fall on Sunday and Monday, bank holidays will take place on Tuesday, December 27 and January 2 (2023).

The NJC has issued advice to how local authorities deal with staff holidays and pay for frontline services that need to continue over the festive period.

Blaenau Gwent will be closed to normal business from December 25 to January 2.

Ms Prosser said: “To ensure capacity to deliver critical frontline services the following proposal has been discussed with the trade unions and they have agreed to the proposal for those staff on rota to work over the Christmas period.

“The following payment is proposed: treble time with no lieu time allowance.”

December 30 which is classed as a normal working day, will be seen as an exception with staff paid double time – but with no lieu time allowance.