A COUNCIL has been accused of ‘delaying tactics’ after postponing a decision on whether to support low-paid workers.

Dorset County Council workers living on ‘poverty pay’ will have to wait until at least February to see if they will receive the living wage.

A motion to implement the pay increase for 500 workers was put before the authority last week.

Proposing the living wage, Coun Paul Kimber said the council ‘can’t turn its back’ on low paid workers, such as carers and cleaners.

But council leader Spencer Flower proposed sending the issue to the staffing committee for further debate.

Because of this, and in accordance with the constitution, councillors were unable to give their views on the living wage. They could only comment on whether or not they wanted the issue to go to the committee.

Four members abstained from voting but the motion was carried.

This means that workers will have to wait until the next full council meeting in February before a decision on pay is reached.

Afterwards, Tim Nicholls, secretary of the Dorchester, Weymouth, Portland and District Trades Union Council said it seemed like ‘delaying tactics’.

He said: “It beggars belief that a major employer which is part of local government which is supposed to be a beacon of good employment practices is not paying the living wage.

“This isn’t the end of the story – agitation will continue across Dorset for employers that don’t pay the living wage.

“If Dorchester Town Council can implement it then so should the county council.”

In the meeting, Coun Mike Byatt, who abstained from voting on whether the matter should be sent to committee, said: “I am a bit curious as to what’s happening here today.

“We talked earlier about engaging local members and I think it is very important we are seen at a full council meeting to be given the opportunity to talk and debate on important issues. There is huge public interest and importance in this issue.”

Coun Trevor Jones said that although the issue needed ‘some consideration’ he wanted to assure that it was ‘in the hearts’ of all parties in the council to implement the living wage.

According to local trade unions, the authority has 500 staff receiving less than the living wage of £7.65 per hour.