RESOLVED:

A. Cabinet notes what is required for the Council to achieve accreditation as a Living Wage Employer from the Living Wage Foundation; and

B. Cabinet notes the indicative cost implications of rolling out the Real Living Wage (RLW) and London Living Wage (LLW) across all Merton ‘in-scope’ contracts; and

C. Cabinet approves Merton seeking accreditation as a Living Wage Employer and agrees to introduce the Real Living Wage into Merton contracts - as and when the contracts come up for re-tendering (excluding Care Home contracts) – Phase I

D. Cabinet agrees that more work be undertaken to ascertain a more realistic cost for implementing the LLW across Merton’s Care Home contracts and that this work is carried out after Merton has achieved its Living Wage Employer accreditation – Phase II.

E. Cabinet agrees the appointment of Cllr Billy Hayes as the Living Wage champion so that the Council may build on its status as a Living Wage Employer and become a Living Wage Borough

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services presented the report which outlined the timeline and plan for the Council to achieve Living Wage Employer Accreditation by the end of January 2023. All in-scope contracts would be included with the exception of care homes which would be addressed at a later date.

It was noted that the proposal included appointing a Living Wage Champion and this would be Councillor Billy Hayes.

The Chair thanked officers and the Cabinet Member for their work.

RESOLVED:

A. Cabinet notes what is required for the Council to achieve accreditation as a Living Wage Employer from the Living Wage Foundation; and

B. Cabinet notes the indicative cost implications of rolling out the Real Living Wage (RLW) and London Living Wage (LLW) across all Merton ‘in-scope’ contracts; and

C. Cabinet approves Merton seeking accreditation as a Living Wage Employer and agrees to introduce the Real Living Wage into Merton contracts - as and when the contracts come up for re-tendering (excluding Care Home contracts) – Phase I

D. Cabinet agrees that more work be undertaken to ascertain a more realistic cost for implementing the LLW across Merton’s Care Home contracts and that this work is carried out after Merton has achieved its Living Wage Employer accreditation – Phase II.

E. Cabinet agrees the appointment of Cllr Billy Hayes as the Living Wage champion so that the Council may build on its status as a Living Wage Employer and become a Living Wage Borough