Golden Hello payments to social workers totalled £105,000 in Milton Keynes but council still saved money

A meeting on Monday morning was told that Milton Keynes Council has paid out a total of £105,000 to 21 new employees who have been employed for one year.

But now, after the trades unions and the council’s management met behind closed doors to thrash out an agreement, councillors have agreed to cut the value of gold to either £3,000 or £2,000.

Higher paid qualified social workers will get the bigger amount if they join Milton Keynes Council, leaving those on a lower salary band of £29,636 to £33,799 with a £2,000 booster.

Background papers to the meeting of the joint negotiating committee (employer’s side) was told that the scheme was successful in filling an unprecedented 100 per cent of vacancies.

The council had recruited 31 applicants, and paid 21 Golden Hellos, since the scheme was introduced in 2019.

This, the report says, saved the council more than the £105,000 cost because they did not have to employ costly agency workers. And it says the council now has a more stable workforce.

They considered axing the scheme entirely but had a look at the pay of next door councils and found that it would “make our own offer significantly less competitive.”

The council has also introduced a series of changes it hopes will mean that people will see more benefits from staying.