Staff paid poverty wages will get little respite after Richmond Council failed to commit to the London Living Wage.

The council’s cabinet is due to consider a report at its next meeting, on June 20, to extend the current contract for cleaning services by 14 months, which Richmond Council said it would.

But the council will not make any significant changes to the terms of the contract, which see cleaners paid significantly below the suggested London Living Wage threshold of £8.55 per hour.

Leader of the opposition Councillor Stephen Knight said the wages were a scandal.

He said: “The council has already adopted a policy of paying directly employed staff at least the London Living Wage, but the truth is that most of the staff being paid poverty wages are employed via contractors in roles such as social care workers and town hall cleaners.

“There can be no justification for not applying the same policy to staff employed on our behalf by contractors.”

Richmond Council said Coun Knight raised the issue at a council meeting in November.

A Richmond Council spokesman said: “The cleaning contract fell within that exercise and the prediction was that the extra weekly costs would have a significant impact.

“The council debate led to no resulting commitment to the London Living Wage for all our contracts, although it is considered as part of commissioning of services.

“This, combined with our desire to make efficiency savings in the facilities area, means we continue to recommend the extension on the terms currently proposed.”