Significant rise in 'honorariums' paid to Lancaster City Council staff over last five years
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The annual cost of honorariums has increased year on year since 2015, with a sharp rise in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.The total paid out in honorariums in the tax year 2015/16, was £9,675, with one employee receiving £2,435 of this.
From April to July 2020, the council has paid out £116,843 in honorariums, more than 10 times the amount paid out in 2015.
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Hide AdThe figures also reveal which individual council department received the lion's share of the cash each year.
Lancaster City Council leader Dr Erica Lewis, who also has responsibility for human resources, has stressed that honorariums are not bonuses, but payments made to employees doing work outside the scope of their usual responsibilities.
She said they are often more cost-effective than employing additional agency staff, and provide opportunities to develop skills in preparation for a possible future promotion.
The figures revealed that in the tax year 2016/17, £21,886.31 was paid out in honorariums for the whole year - £3,600 was the highest employee amount.
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Hide AdIn 2017/18 the figure was £29,758.29 for the whole year, with £3,685.16 being the highest employee amount.
In 2018/19 the figure rose to £44,679.26 (£4,733.33 highest employee amount), and in 2019/20 it was £51,992.45 (£4,847.03 highest employee amount).
Coun Dr Erica Lewis, leader of Lancaster City Council said: "It is important to note that these are not bonuses paid to staff for just doing their jobs.
"These are payments made to employees doing work outside the scope of their usual responsibilities.
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Hide Ad“This may be, for example, when they are required to perform duties of a more senior member of staff as a result of a vacancy, special project or when another post-holder is on long term sick or maternity leave.
“There may also be, as was the case during the recent coronavirus pandemic when staff on the frontline put themselves in a greater risk to continue the provision of services, or undertook duties that were outside of their usual job roles.
“The payment of honorariums is often more cost-effective than employing additional agency staff to take on the additional duties and also provides valuable opportunities for employees to develop skills and gain experience in preparation for a possible future promotion.”
Here are all the figures, including amounts paid to each individual departments within the council.
The highest amounts are shown in italics.
2015/16
£9675.63 for the whole year
£2435.04 highest employee amount, per annum
Marketing & Communications - £1623
Parks and Open Spaces - £432.08
Administration - £1225
Repairs and Maintenance -£3842.04
Democratic Services - £1129.98
Council Housing - £13.45
Property Group - £1450.08
2016/17
£21,886.31 for the whole year
£3600 highest employee amount, per annum
Parks & Open Spaces - £1506.00
Administration - £1722.51
Democratic Services - £5918
HR - £5408.71
Council Housing -£821.86
Private Housing - £1592.23
Property Group - £4897.00
2017/18
£29,758.29 for the whole year
£3685.16 highest employee amount, per annum
Customer Services - £3685.16
Economic Development - £803.57
Sports and Leisure - £1969.33
Parks and Open Spaces - £648.69
Administration - £78.70
Cleansing - £1826.13
Democratic Services - £290.79
HR - £7615.00
Private Housing - £5596.08
Planning - £1607.14
Finance - £3347.01
Property Group - £2290.69
2018/19
£44,679.26 for the whole year
£4733.33 highest employee amount, per annum
Customer Services - £445.60
Economic Development - £5000.00
Sports and Leisure - £4690.56
Administration - £2950.80
HR - £4733.33
Council Housing - £5395.11
Private Housing - £5707.92
Planning - £7470.96
Finance - £2736.60
ICT - £5548.38
2019/20
£51,992.45 for the whole year
£4847.03 highest employee amount, per annum
Environmental Services - £800
Sports & Leisure - £266.95
Parks and Open Spaces - £252.16
Administration - £5454.70
Repairs & Maintenance £1424.60
Democratic Services - £1500
HR - £8697.03
Legal - £5150
Council Housing - £6932.78
Environmental Health - £1996.25
Private Housing - £4851.8
Finance - £6246.84
ICT - £4000
Property Group - £1870.56
Regeneration/Planning - £6595.98
2020/present
£116,843.62 for the whole year (to present date)
£1073.90 highest employee amount, per annum
Marketing & Communications - £240.00
Customer Services - £3500
Public Protection - £536.67
Sports and Leisure - £13971.90
Parks & Open Spaces -£4664.87
Administration - £2917.83
Building Cleaning - £6251.38
Cleansing - £7727.03
Grounds Maintenance - £8560.81
Repairs & Maintenance - £12283.24
Vehicle Maintenance Unit - £1460.81
Waste - £24204.96
HR - £3692.94
Council Housing - £6429.99
Environmental Health - £5648.65
Private Housing - £3577.23
Parking - £500
Finance - £1800
ICT - £800.00
Property Group - £5397.97
Revenues - £1130.27
Regeneration/Planning - £947.07