Council staff can look forward to a Bank Holiday bonus to mark Queen's Platinum Jubilee next year

Members of the full council meeting on Thursday, September 23, are being recommended to agree to additional one-off public holiday for staff on Friday, June 3.

The UK Government has announced that there will be a four day weekend

from Thursday, June 2 to Sunday, June 5 to celebrate the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.

The plan is to move a late May bank holiday to Thursday, June 2, and give an additional one off holiday on Friday, June 3.

Following the UK Government announcement the Scottish Government has

confirmed the same arrangement for Scotland – with each council invited to take a view on what stance to take for their workers.

CoSLA, the Convention of Local Authorities, has not issued specific guidance to local authorities, leaving the decision at the discretion of each council.

Members of full council will be recommended to agree to grant the holiday as an additional one-off annual leave day on Friday, June 3.

But if staff are required to work on this holiday no enhancements to pay will be given and only time in lieu will be granted.

A report to the committee from Clair Hepburn, the council’s director of People, Performance and Change, says: “In the absence of specific guidance from CoSLA each local authority is considering different options and as such there is no consistent approach.

“The options presented in this report are however consistent with what is being considered across other local authorities.”

In 2011 Scottish Borders Council approved a one-off additional days leave to celebrate the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Miss Kate Middleton.

The report adds: “Granting an additional annual leave day to all staff equates to £644,695. The cost is based on lost productivity for all staff on the assumption that

they will all be taking the day off on either the Jubilee Day or later in the

year. For some services there will be further additional costs for casual/relief staff who are required to provide cover for the staff member who is taking the day later.

"If no action is taken to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee there is

a risk of an adverse reaction from employees and Trades Unions and also

reputational damage.”