Councillors will have to decide if Kirklees should foot the bill for workers’ professional fees.
Some council staff – such as social workers and lawyers – are required to be a member of a professional body in order to practice their profession.
But it comes with a fee and there is an debate about who should pay it.
Kirklees Council has been asked by trade unions to pay for members’ professional fees if it’s required for their job.
It could land Kirklees with an annual £50,000 bill.
Councillors on the Personnel Committee will have to rule on the issue tomorrow (Monday).
Council rules say: “Professional Fees are paid by individuals to professional bodies for maintaining their professional or registered status – for example social workers, lawyers or architects.
“Council staff are responsible for paying your own professional fees and any other work-related fees, such as HGV licence renewal.”
It affects 466 employees – 420 are social workers who face a £152 fee every two years for membership of the Health and Care Professionals Council.
A further 27 employees are solicitors and have to have a Practising Certificate from the Solicitors Regulation Authority, which costs £384.
Kirklees adds: “In some roles Kirklees request (and sometimes insist) that employees are in a professional body. In these cases the individual pays for their registration/membership.
“It is anticipated that there are hundreds of employees in this group – however no central record is held.”
