Call to pay care workers £15 per hour in Monmouthshire defeated

A call to pay care workers in Monmouthshire a minimum rate of £15 per hour has failed during a chaotic debate where it was unclear which councillors were still taking part in the meeting.

Chepstow councillor Armand Watts submitted the motion at a full county council meeting on Thursday, to acknowledge care sector workers have gone “above and beyond expectations and demands of supporting our most vulnerable citizens throughout the pandemic”.

“The authority gives recognition to their commitment and dedication by implementing an increase in the minimum hourly rate to £15 to all employees in the authority’s care sector,” the motion read.

Cllr Watts said care workers are “significantly underpaid” compared to other sectors, and that the motion presented an opportunity to ensure they are rewarded and recognised for their work during the pandemic.

“It’s not right in any way, shape or form for society to allow some of the most important people, the people who have stood up, have stood tall and fought for us throughout the Covid crisis, to be paid less than £11 per hour,” he said.

“We need to ensure that we do this for the people of Monmouthshire.”

However councillor Paul Pavia said that while the motion was ‘well-meaning’, the issue was being considered on a regional and national basis.

Cllr Peter Fox said any pay increase would need to go through the budget process, and that to implement the policy without doing so would be ‘irresponsible.’

An amendment to the motion was put forward by Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, which proposed changing the word ‘implementing’ to ‘planning.’

Cllr Batrouni said this would allow councillors to consider the budgetary implications of the proposal, while “making a stand” on the issue.

Independent councillor Simon Howarth gave his backing to the amendment, saying the motion would help raise awareness.

But councillor Bob Greenland questioned how the authority would pay for the increase.

“If we plan to do something, then we must know how we are going to pay for it,” he said.

Cllr Phil Murphy warned against Monmouthshire taking action alone, saying this would not help the overall system, and that a Wales-wide approach was needed.

There was confusion at the virtual meeting when the votes of councillors Richard John and Penny Jones, who had previously left the meeting, initially appeared to be included against the motion.

Cllr Fox said the pair, who submitted votes using the chat bar on Microsoft Teams, were following the meeting on their phones.

But Cllr Batrouni said they were not showing as being in the meeting.

After taking advice, Cllr Mat Feakins, chairman of the council, said councillors must be able to be heard to vote on an issue.

He said for this reason the votes of councillors John and Jones were not counted.

The motion was defeated.