HARTLEPOOL Borough Council's cabinet this week agreed a new pay and grading structure for the authority.

The decision affects up to 3,500 employees, if all the borough's schools adopt the agreement.

It follows a ballot of trade unions who voted in favour of the new proposals.

School governing bodies will give consideration to adopting the council's agreement next month and in July.

Nationally, local authorities have to develop a Single Status Agreement to ensure that all employees are paid fairly and equally for the work they do.

Officials believe the agreement will help to protect the council from future equal pay claims.

Edwin Jeffries, secretary of Hartlepool Joint Trades Union Committee, said: "Trade union members have now voted to accept the proposed job evaluation and single status agreement as negotiated.

"I would like to reiterate that it has been the intention from the outset to mitigate against loss and minimise losers within any pay and grading structure and single status agreement.

"The trade unions will now fully support union members through the implementation and appeals processes and continue working in the best interests of their members."

As part of the process, in Hartlepool each job has been evaluated measuring the responsibilities, demands and skills required, using 13 factors.

About 57 per cent of employees will receive an increase in their basic pay, about 32 per cent will see no change.

Less than 11 per cent will see a decrease in their basic pay, but will be subject to protection arrangements for a period up to March 31, 2011.

A series of measures are also in place to provide support and advice for employees should they require it.

Paul Walker, the council's chief executive, said: "At every stage, we have worked closely with the trade unions to make sure we have a pay and grading structure and other terms and conditions that are fair and equal and reflect the responsibilities of individual jobs."