The process is under way to review discretionary pay, covering the performance of staff on grades 1 to 9 in 2009-10. 

The procedure for pay review is designed to reward exceptional performance, defined as "a level of performance that goes significantly beyond that which would normally be expected from a member of staff in their role". Any recommendations will be made against specific criteria. 

An award that is agreed for a member of staff will be effective from 1 October 2010 and can include a one-off payment to an individual or team, an accelerated increment or use of discretionary increments. 

The procedure also includes the process for reviewing grades for non-academic staff in grades 1-9. Re-grading "will only be considered where a job has changed significantly in terms of its level of responsibility, scope and/or complexity". (A separate academic promotions process applies to academic staff.) 

Collated submissions will be put forward to Human Resources from heads of school and from heads of professional services by Friday 10 June. 

These submissions will then be considered by a Pay Review Panel - for the sciences, social sciences and arts and humanities schools and professional services, respectively - chaired by the relevant Pro-Vice-Chancellor or the Registrar and Secretary. 

The Vice-Chancellor's Executive Group (VCEG) will review the Panel's provisional decisions before the Remuneration and Review Committee makes its final decisions on Monday 4 July. 

During July, Human Resources will write to all staff receiving an award, and payment will be made in that month's pay packets. 

A separate process of discretionary pay review is also being run for the Professoriate, following the same timescale as above.