Vera Baird QC, Police & Crime Commissioner for Northumbria has been shortlisted for the Living Wage Leadership Awards 2015 in North East Region
12th October 2015
Hard working Police & Crime Commissioner, Vera Baird QC has been shortlisted by the Living Wage Foundation for the Living Wage Leadership Awards 2015.
The awards recognise the life changing impact individuals have made by leading the way on the Living Wage Campaign within communities.
The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. The Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the ‘Minimum Income Standard’ for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public; it is a social consensus about what people need to make ends meet.
Vera Baird said “When I was elected as Police & Crime Commissioner, becoming an accredited Living Wage employer was one of my commitments. When the cleaning contract was up for re-newel, I decided to bring it back in-house and the savings were re-invested to allow our valued cleaning team to be paid the Living Wage.
In the current economic climate, it is imperative that we do everything we can to help the low paid. By being a living wage employer we are playing our part in helping people who are facing rising costs of living.”
Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The Living Wage enjoys cross party support.
Living Wage Foundation Director, Rhys Moore said:
“Congratulations to Vera Baird on being shortlisted for the Living Wage Leadership Award winner for the North East region. The voices of people are at the heart of our organisation, and it is wonderful to have Commissioner Baird leading the way in the North East. We want to celebrate the individuals making a real difference to families and communities across the UK. Thank you very much for championing the Living Wage.”
The Award Winners will be announced during Living Wage Week 2015, with one winner announced for each region of the UK: Scotland; Wales; Northern Ireland; the East Midlands; the West Midlands; the East of England; Yorkshire and the Humber; North East England; North West England; South East England; South West England; and London.
The awards are judged by an independent panel of community leaders from Citizens UK, national community organising charity and home of the Living Wage campaign.
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