Council ‘no’ to the ‘real living wage’

There are no plans to introduce the so-called‘real living wage’at East Renfrewshire Council, writes Eddie Harbinson.

The local authority is one of 16 council not currently signed up for Scottish Living Wage Accreditation, which involves a commitment to pay all workers the minimum rate of £8.75 an hour.

A report by the Smith Institute - an independent research group - has claimed that increasing the minimum wage from £7.83 could boost public services.

It also recommended that councils find a way of using powers to and financial leverage to make businesses pay the‘real living wage’.

But a spokeswoman for East Renfrewshire Council said:“The council pays all staff the Scottish living wage and all costs related to wages are calculated as part of our standard finance processes.

“At present there are no plans to apply for accreditation.”

Scottish Living Wage Accreditation is an initiative overseen by the Poverty Alliance, the Living Wage Foundation and the Scottish Government.

Sixteen local authorities are signed up to the scheme, including Renfrewshire .