Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise

Equality, diversity and inclusionLatest NewsEqual pay

No extra cash for equal pay bill, councils told by communities minister Hazel Blears

by Mike Berry 21 Aug 2007
by Mike Berry 21 Aug 2007

New communities secretary Hazel Blears has definitively ruled out any extra cash to help councils solve the equal pay crisis threatening to overwhelm local government.

Speaking exclusively to Personnel Today, Blears said she recognised that financing equal pay was “difficult and costly” for councils, but it was not a new pressure for them to tackle.

“Local authorities are responsible for meeting their statutory requirements, and this includes obligations under the Equal Pay Act,” she said. “Local government should tackle equal pay proactively and in an affordable manner while protecting services. It is up to each local authority, as the employer, to manage their pressures affordably.”

Her stance is likely to anger trade unions, which have been demanding extra funding to help councils meet equal pay liabilities that could reach as much as £5bn in back pay and compensation.

Council employers were dismayed by the government’s decision not to make any extra cash available. As a result, many have appealed to central government for greater borrowing flexibility. But Blears said the capitalisation limit for borrowing against assets had been increased, and that individual council requests would be considered.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

She added that the government was also examining proposals to protect deals signed by employers and unions from being unpicked by no-win, no-fee lawyers.

Blears also vowed to fight any legal action brought by local authorities over the creation of new unitary councils, which will see some councils scrapped – leading to job losses across the sector.

Mike Berry

previous post
Food and drinks manufacturing sector skills council Improve trials self-accreditation for in-house training
next post
UK visa agency slammed for lapses in IT security after outsourcing work

You may also like

New ‘failure to prevent fraud’ law a ‘game-changer’

2 Sep 2025

PCs removed from firearms unit after Tallia Storm...

2 Sep 2025

Top 10 HR questions August 2025: Conduct outside...

2 Sep 2025

Nestlé sacks CEO over ‘undisclosed’ romantic affair

2 Sep 2025

Revolut employees to receive share sale payout

2 Sep 2025

Personnel Today Awards 2025 shortlist: Health and wellbeing

2 Sep 2025

Deloitte to hire 1,500 graduates and apprentices

2 Sep 2025

Airbus strikes postponed after new pay offer

1 Sep 2025

Free childcare expansion beset with recruitment challenges

1 Sep 2025

Business confidence grows to post-Budget peak

1 Sep 2025

  • Work smart – stay well: Avoid unnecessary pain with centred ergonomics SPONSORED | If you often notice...Read more
  • Elevate your L&D strategy at the World of Learning 2025 SPONSORED | This October...Read more
  • How to employ a global workforce from the UK (webinar) WEBINAR | With an unpredictable...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Recruitment & retention
    • Wellbeing
    • Occupational Health
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise