Issue - meetings

CSD18128

The Committee considered a report setting out a summary of the outcome of a soft market testing exercise into employee benefits undertaken by Officers and the business case for entering into the Crown Commercial Services CCS framework for a new employee benefits provider.

The Council’s current Employee Benefits contract was provided by Sodexo (formerly P&MM). The contract had been with Sodexo since September 2007 with the current contract due to expire on 9^th December 2018.

In considering the report Members felt that the option for staff to purchase additional annual leave should be investigated and if possible progressed at this early stage.

In response to a question concerning whether salary sacrifice could be utilised for additional pension contributions, the Director of Corporate Services reported that the rules around pension contributions were governed by the relevant local government pension legislation and as such this would need to be carefully investigated prior to any proposals being made.  There were currently mechanisms in place to enable members of the Local Government Pension Scheme to make additional voluntary contributions.

RESOLVED: That the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

1.  Agree to investigate and if possible progress annual leave purchasing at this early stage;

2.  Agree to enter into the CCS Framework and engage with Edenred to provide Employee Benefits services for the total contract value of up to £544,150.  The total contract value includes the vouchers for the merited rewards; and

3.  Agree the contract term as set out in para 3.25 of the report for a period of 4 years.