A day-off for Moray Council staff following Coronation of King Charles III?
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Giving staff an extra day’s leave to mark the coronation of King Charles III would cost Moray Council about £40,000.
Councillors will talk tomorrow about whether to grant all the local authority's employees a holiday on Monday, May 8 – two days after the Royal occasion taking place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6.
Council staff who still have to work that Monday would be able to claim it at another time.
Meanwhile, part-time staff would receive their equivalent hours off.
Both the UK and Scottish governments have already declared Monday, May 8, an additional bank holiday.
Moray Council needs to save around £28 million over the next two years to balance its books.
In a report to tomorrow's meeting, the local authority’s corporate management team has issued a warning on the financial risk of the £40,000 spend.
The team is asking councillors whether a decision could be deferred until after the budget is set on March 1.
Councillors have the option of moving the May Day public holiday from Monday 1 to Monday 8 to coincide with the coronation celebrations.
Such a measure would be cost-neutral and is currently being looked at by two other local authorities.
However it would be a change from previous practice.
Council staff were granted extra leave for the Queen’s funeral in September, the platinum jubilee in June, the diamond jubilee in 2012 and the wedding of William and Kate in 2011.
The report states an additional day of annual leave will incur additional expenditure for the council.
It says: "This will vary for each service and it is very difficult to provide an accurate estimate of costs.
"But based on the employees who worked on May Day 2022, it is estimated to be in the region of £40,000."
The council recognises seven public holidays. These are Hogmanay, January 1 and 2, Good Friday, May Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Employees required to work on these days get double time and a compensatory day’s leave.
If an additional day off is given on May 8, the council will have to seek approval from the Scottish Government to close all its schools.
