Employee Benefits
More for…
You:
Generous leave allowance, with option to
purchase additional leave
Competitive salary
Ongoing training and development
Your Money:
Local Government Pension Scheme
Travel Choice discounts
Your Health:
Discounted local gym and leisure centre membership
Cyclescheme
Your Family:
Childcare Vouchers
Flexible working/job sharing
Contribution Based Pay
Our pay scheme is contribution based, which means that we can reward the highest
performing employees for the contribution they make to the organisation. Pay is reviewed
annually by means of ongoing performance reviews. Where employees perform
satisfactorily, salary will progress through the pay range. Where staff hold career graded
positions, there will be the opportunity to move through the ranges as they grow and
develop.
Growing our own talent
Growing our own talent is a high priority for us – and we
invest in an impressive range of career development
initiatives in order to make it happen.
Recognition of your contribution from the very top
is always welcome. But at Bucks it doesn’t end
there. We also do everything we can to increase
your value as a social work professional and help
you get the most out of your career.
Supporting professional development is very
important at Bucks and we have frameworks in
place to ensure you are rewarded both financially
and fully supported to achieve career goals.
Our aim is to provide you with the best possible environment for you to invest in your
own skills and abilities. That can take many forms. But whether it’s through training
and development or having a flexible approach that allows you to achieve your ideal
work life balance, our goal is alwaysthe same. To equip you with everything you need
to progress and get the rewards you deserve.
Living in Bucks
Bucks has plenty to offer as a location to live as well as work. Featuring beautiful
countryside, the county stretches from the Chiltern Hills and the Vale of Aylesbury up into
the valley of the Great Ouse River, boasting a mixture of woodlands, parklands, and
agricultural valleys, which makes for breath-taking scenery. Bucks also offers easy access
to London and has excellent rail and road links to the rest of the country. Our schools, both
public and private, offer your family a first class education. Aylesbury is a rapidly expanding
town and there are several new build developments that offer a variety of property options
should you be looking to buy. The nearby cities of Oxford and Milton Keynes offer a
multitude of cultural and leisure pursuits, not to mention great shopping opportunities!
Further Information Annual Leave
Salary range
Leave (Days) Less than 5 years' continuous service*
Leave (Days) More than 5 years' continuous/cumulative service from
the anniversary of joining
1-3 22 27
4-5 23 28
6-12 25 30
SM 27 32
Annual leave Purchase Scheme
The opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave per annum will be offered to employees. This requires line management and Service Director approval to ensure that it can be operationally accommodated. The leave will be ‘bought’ through a salary sacrifice scheme which will apportion the cost of the leave over the 12 month period. Full details of the scheme can be found on the Intranet.
Contribution Based Pay
This is the pay system for all new employees and those who opted into the scheme when it was introduced. On the scheme your pay is based on your performance as recorded in your Delivering Successful Performance (DSP) record.
It means that we are able to reward high performance in a fair and cost effective way.
Key principles
There are no fixed points within the pay range - salary can be anywhere between the Entry and the Advanced Point
The Competent (mid point) of the pay range is the rate for the job There are no time based increments
There is no Universal “Cost of Living” pay award
All Pay Progression is dependent upon Contribution (i.e. DSP rating) Salary cannot go down under CBP
It is standard policy to appoint to all roles at the Entry point of the salary range:
Range Entry point 1A 12,923 1B 15,925 2 18,643 3 20,505 4 22,361 5 24,731 6 27,855 7 31,801 8 36,351 9 41,636 10 47,923 11 54,221 12 60,069
Public Holidays
Full-time employees will be entitled to a holiday with a normal day's pay for each public holiday as it occurs.
Part-time employees will be entitled to a pro-rata entitlement for each of these holidays regardless of their working pattern.
Probationary Period
Employees new to the Council will be subject to a six-month probationary period.
Reviews of performance will take place in accordance with the probationary procedure and successful completion of this period is necessary before continuing employment is confirmed.
Where the probationary period has not been successfully completed the employee will not have his/her appointment confirmed and will be dismissed with one month's notice or may be given an extended probationary period in which to prove him/herself a satisfactory employee. In any event the total probationary period inclusive of any extension and notice period will be less than 12 months. A probationer will not normally be dismissed, except in cases of gross misconduct, without being given one warning and a chance to improve during the probationary period.
Period of Notice to Terminate Employment
a. Employees must give the following periods of notice unless the contract of employment specifies a different period:
Salary Ranges 1 - 5 One month’s notice
Salary Range 6 Two months' notice
Salary Ranges 7 – 12 Three months' notice Senior Manager Salary
Grades Four months' notice
b. The minimum notice period that the Council will give is as follows unless the contract of employment specifies a different period:
Salary Ranges 1 - 5 One month’s notice
Salary Range 6 Two months' notice
Salary Ranges 7 – 12 Three months' notice Senior Manager Salary
Grades Four months' notice
During an employee's
probationary period One month's notice
Pensions
Unless an employee exercises the facility to opt out, he/she will automatically participate in the Local Government Pension Scheme. Contributions are payable between 5.5% and 7.5% of salary.
Details of the Local Government Pension Scheme may be obtained from the Council's Pensions Section or by following the link below:
http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/about-your-council/local-government-pension-fund/scheme-members/guides,-forms-and-booklets/
Your employer pays the balance of the cost of providing your benefits in the LGPS. Every three years an independent review is undertaken to calculate how much your employer should contribute to the Scheme. BCC’s employer contributions are currently 23.4% (of salaries paid to scheme members). Hours of Work
Unless otherwise specified in the contract of employment, the standard contracted hours of work are 37 hours per week for full-time employees, usually from Monday to Friday, although weekend working may be an integral part of the normal working week in certain circumstances.
For the majority of roles there is the opportunity to work flexibly, this should be discussed with line managers in the first instance.
Flexible Working Arrangements
The Council may adopt a variety of different working arrangements to maximise the efficiency of the Council's operation. This could include arrangements for home-working and hot-desking. This can be arranged with your manager
Parking
The criteria for free access to Friars Square Multi-Storey in Aylesbury town centre or Wycombe Area Office car park will be 1,500 claimed business miles per financial year. The Service Director will also confirm the employee is required to access Aylesbury offices or Wycombe Area Office on a regular basis for business reasons.
There is also the opportunity to purchase a pass for a BCC allocated space in Friar’s Square Car Park, however, there is a waiting list to purchase these passes. There are several long stay pay and display car parks located nearby, including Walton Street Multi-storey Car Park (£4 per day), which is a 5 minute walk from the Aylesbury Complex, and also Friarscroft Multi-storey Car Park (8) (£3 per day), which is approximately 10 minutes’ walk.
Travelchoice Card
We operate a Travel Choice Card scheme for BCC employees which will give you a 33% discount on Chiltern Railways to various destinations and also 50% on local bus services.
You are entitled to a card if:
You're a direct employee of Buckinghamshire County Council and have set hours You're a temporary worker and have been at the council for more than 12 weeks You're an apprentice
You have been tupee’d in to Buckinghamshire County Council You are not entitled to a card if:
You're a casual employee (without set hours) You're an employee at an Academy
You're a supply teacher You're a student on placement You're a volunteer
Cyclescheme
BCC are part of the Cycle to Work Scheme, a government initiative to encourage alternative travel and reduce our environment impact. It also means you can spread the cost of getting a new bike, save on Income Tax and National Insurance. You can enrol in April or September.
Childcare Vouchers
The Childcare Voucher Scheme is a way to save money on your childcare costs. By exchanging up to £243 of your monthly salary for tax-free and National Insurance exempt Childcare Vouchers, you can save up to £1,196 per annum.
Childcare Vouchers can be used for children up to the age of 16 and can be used at any registered childcare setting including nurseries, nannies, childminders, au pairs, crèches, playgroups, out of school clubs, holiday schemes and some school-based activities.
Please note, there are Buckinghamshire County Council Terms and Conditions that you will be asked to sign when you join the scheme.
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
Free and confidential support service for Buckinghamshire County Council employees.
The service is provided by PAM Assist and is a completely independent and confidential personal support service which is available entirely free to you.
Health and Wellbeing
BCC have negotiated corporate discounts of up to 35% at a variety of local health and fitness clubs.
There are also a number of other health and wellbeing related discount schemes in operation, the details of which can be found on out intranet when you start.
