Employee benefits and entitlements

There’s a space for you

Never worked in local government? No problem. There’s a role for everyone.

Join a place with a genuine focus on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Snapshot of the benefits of working at the Council

• Structured pay scales: know where you stand
• Secure, generous pension: for every £1 you pay, we put in at least twice as much
• Most roles offer truly flexible hours and locations from one day to the next (including home working)
• 24 days’ annual leave (plus Bank Holidays), rising to 29 after five years
• Build your career with opportunities for training and qualifications
• Get paid while you learn with an apprenticeship
• Play your part in tackling the Climate Emergency
• Be part of a friendly, supportive team – with approachable colleagues who want to help
• Help us make work fun and celebrate our successes together

Structured pay scales

Our pay and grading structure is in line with the National Joint Council Job Evaluation Scheme. Within each pay band, increases (or 'increments') are awarded each year, as long as colleagues have performed satisfactorily. This means that most colleagues receive a pay rise as a matter of course every April. 

Salaries are paid on last working day by BACS transfer to your bank account. The Council will have regard to the Living Wage Foundation hourly rate when it agrees annual pay awards for its staff each year.

Pension

Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme is available to all of our employees, which means you can access a secure and generous pension. For every £1 you pay, we put in between two and three times as much. You can see the example employer contributions below related to salary grades (correct at March 2022). 

Flexible working

The majority of the Council’s office-based staff have worked primarily from home between March 2020 and March 2022, during the pandemic. There is a commitment to a continued hybrid working approach in the long term, in part as a result of the particular positivity about the benefits of hybrid working on flexibility and the wellbeing of our colleagues. Employees who would prefer to be based entirely in the office will also be able to do so.

The Council has long held flexible working policies too, meaning that the majority of colleagues can determine their working patterns outside of the regular '9 to 5', often from one day to the next, to fit around the needs of the business and life outside of work. This also means that when people end up working extra hours, time can be taken back. Please ask us for more information on how this works.  

Annual leave

Depending on grade and length of continuous Local Government service, annual leave entitlement is between 24 and 33 days. All statutory holidays are given. There is also one further concessionary day, granted by the Authority, which has to be taken during the Christmas period.

Equal opportunities

We recognise the benefit of having a workforce where people have different backgrounds and lived experiences. We want to make sure that people who would like to join our team feel welcome and able to do so. And we want to create a workplace where everyone feels safe to be themselves. 

Parental leave

An employee may receive Occupational Maternity / Adoption pay of 12 weeks at half pay as well as Statutory Maternity Pay / Statutory Adoption Pay payments, depending on length of service.

We also have families taking advantage of Shared Parental Leave, and have introduced a policy to support families who have premature babies, or babies who are unwell when they are born.

Changes in legislation are always reflected in our policy and practice. 

Parking

There are parking facilities on all sites, however, availability cannot be guaranteed.

Zipcar

We have a dedicated Zipcar based outside out Cambourne offices, for use by our employees during the work day. The car can be booked for business use, and is free to use.

Car sharing schemes

‘CamShare’ is an online car sharing scheme which assists employees in finding other staff to car share with. ‘CamShare’ is a secure system where contact is made through work e-mail addresses only.

Cycle scheme

We have signed up to Cyclescheme, which administers the Government's Bike to Work scheme.

Childcare vouchers

As part of its family friendly initiative the Council, in conjunction with a Childcare Voucher provider, operates a salary sacrifice scheme for the purchase of childcare vouchers.

Membership of a Trade Union

We currently recognise UNISON and GMB for collective bargaining purposes.

Professional membership fees

If your role requires you to be a member of a professional body, the membership fees will be covered by the Council. This must be approved by your line manager. 

Relocation expenses

Relocation expenses, up to a maximum amount, may be payable in approved cases to newly appointed employees required to relocate to the South Cambridgeshire area in order to take up their appointments. Employees must be moving from an area at least 50 miles away / over one hour's travel time from their new place of employment. The property to be purchased / rented must be no more than 35 miles away / under one hour's travel time from their new place of employment.