Every year, come pay negotiation time, local government employers are faced with a huge dilemma: pay too much and you risk pushing councils over the financial precipice, pay too little and you gamble with retaining talent.
It was ever thus, but never have the stakes been so high. With 30 councils already in enough of a fiscal pickle to need exceptional financial support, and many others struggling, there is little leeway for the estimated £2.8bn to be whacked onto the pay bill.
