THE non-executive directors and chair of Brio Leisure are set to receive a pay rise.

A decision to increase their pay by 2.75% was recently rubber-stamped by the council’s finance chief and has been backdated to April 1.

Brio was set up by the council in 2011 to deliver leisure and health programmes, including maintaining leisure sites and the provision of early health intervention measures such as smoking cessation schemes. It employs around 600 staff across the borough.

Non-executive directors (NEDs) are not company employees but are paid to sit on boards and advise on strategy, as well as provide expertise and scrutinise decisions, usually on a part time basis.

Brio’s board has six NEDs all currently receiving £6,300-a-year, while the chair receives £12,600-a-year.

A council report said their pay had not risen in the 10 years since the company was set up. It added that the increase was ‘in-line with similar public and private companies’ and also represented the same uplift received by Brio staff.

The report said: “Brio’s remuneration committee has assessed the amount of work undertaken by the NEDs.

“The company faces a number of challenges to deliver a newly focussed health and wellbeing service as well as supporting the company to address the impact of COVID-19.

“The Committee has proposed the increase, which is in line with pay awards for council and company staff and elected member allowances in 2020-21, for consideration to reflect the demands of the role.”

The report said the total cost would be an additional £1,212 a year.

It added: “Brio is a key delivery arm of the council and strategic partner in the delivery of health, wellbeing and leisure services.

“The increase on remuneration recognises the valued contribution made by the board.”