The Living Wage Foundation has named Cardiff Council its Living Wage for Wales Champion for 2017-18.

The award was made in recognition of the Council's ‘outstanding contribution to the development of the Living Wage in Wales, above and beyond the requirements of accreditation.'

Cardiff Council is the only local authority in Wales fully-accredited as a Living Wage employer and has committed to making the Welsh capital a ‘Living Wage City'. It actively encourages other employers to become accredited, promotes the Living Wage through its supply chain and advertises the Living Wage on the side of its fleet of bin lorries. The Council has also put in place a Real Living Wage Accreditation Support Scheme that provides financial assistance to small and medium sized businesses based in the city to pay their accreditation fees for up to three years.

Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance, Cllr Chris Weaver, who accepted the award on behalf of the authority, said: "As a Council we believe that paying the Living Wage is not only the right thing to do for staff; it also makes good business sense. We see it as a long-term investment in our people.  It is based on our values and our belief that a team that is fairly rewarded with good working conditions is in a better position to provide a great service.

"We have seen the considerable impact that paying the Living Wage has had on our own staff and are keen to publicise the benefits to our partners as well as other business and organisations across Cardiff."

In 2012 Cardiff Council became the first local authority to pay its entire workforce the Living Wage. 2,500 employees now benefit from the Living Wage, mainly cleaners, breakfast club supervisors, catering assistants, crèche workers, housekeepers and school midday supervisors.

The new UK rate of £8.75 per hour announced by the Living Wage Foundation will apply to all Cardiff Council staff over the age of 18 from the start of the next financial year.