MNT...as far as I am aware the banding is not to represent different cost of living. I think we all agree that some people need slightly more to live in more expensive areas. This doesn't mean that I should get paid less for working my hiney off at EGCC when its just as busy as the next unit. The Banding was to represent different traffic shifting. Which as mentioned has been proved frequently to be flawed.
Surely if Postman pat was paid less money to post his letters in Manchester than cousin Patricia in London there would be uproar in posty land? Yes Patricia may have to pay slightly more for a loaf but they both shift the same amount of letters?