Local MP Steve Brine has welcomed news that Conservative-run Winchester City Council has decided to implement the new Living Wage for staff that are directly employed by the local authority.
Following questions on the subject from local Labour councillors, including well-known St John's Cllr Chris Pines, Cllr Stephen Godfrey looked at the campaign and agreed this was something that the council should back.
Cllr Godfrey said: "Some posts in Winchester City Council are receiving below the current Living Wage of £7.45 per hour and having looked carefully at the issue I did not feel that there was any reason why those posts, which include frontline staff, should be graded so low. I really want all our team to be great representatives of the Council, and I believe this will help us attract and retain good quality staff."
MP Steve Brine added: "As well as building new council homes, and the important decision to keep the new Council Tax Reduction fundamentally the same as the current Council Tax Benefit scheme, I am really proud that the local Conservative council is proving that it is socially responsible as well as, crucially, financially sound.
"All credit to Cllr Stephen Godfrey, and of course the Labour Group who raised this, and I once again welcome cross-party cooperation across our city, which is exactly the sort of representation local working people deserve."
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Find out more about how the Conservative-controlled council will help working-age people and those currently in receipt on Council Tax Benefit here.