Salary negotiations - local authority

[tinseltits21]

I currently work for a local authority. The band I am in is 24-27,500K. I currently earn 26,900K and started on 25,500 as that was the salary in my previous job (non LA) and I asked them to match it. I automatically moved up the pay scale after a year.

I have interviewed for a job at another LA. The salary band is 25-30K. What would be reasonable to ask for if I get offered the job? My friend works as a HR manager in the charitable sector and she reckons if I get offered the job I should ask for top whack ie 30K. Obviously a pay increase would be nice, especially in this economic climate, but I wonder if the LA would be reluctant to do this as there would be no pay progression for me in this role? She said that these places can be flexible and pay more than the top end of the band and even went as far as saying I should ask for 5K more than what I'm earning now! She recently interviewed for a job and stated she wanted the top end of the band. She was offered it at that salary and when she declined (she decided it wasn't the right job for her), they increased the salary offer to 5K higher than the top end of the band.

Also, when transferring from one LA to another, do your years of service get carried over?

Thanks

All the LAs I know of appoint new staff to the salary point at the bottom of the grade.

Your Service should carry over. Make sure you resign your current job on a Sunday to start the new post on the Monday so there's definitely no break.

If the new LA has a different pension scheme, you will need to apply to have your current membership moved over.

Check how the leave year runs between your current and new post.

Thank you for your reply @JamMakingWannaBe . Does that mean this new LA will not match my current salary, even though it is included within the payscale? The LA I work for now matched my old (non LA) salary even though it was 1.5K higher than the bottom of the band

You can definitely ask to go in at top of grade but unless advertised as such there won't be any flexibility to go higher.

Not sure about the years of service - presumably you mean so your leave entitlement doesn't drop back down. Your pension years will be amalgamated.

@Ponks thank you, much appreciated!

If your new role is a with a different pension fund you will need to contact your new fund and tell them about your previous pension accrual.