Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE DEMOCRATIC SERVICES MANAGER

To agree the Member’s Allowances Scheme 2024/2025 having taken into account the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel (‘IRP’).

RESOLVEDThat Council:

(1)   Considered the report and recommendations of the IRP, as attached as Appendix A of the submitted report.

(2)   Agreed the Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2024/2025 as set out in Appendix B of the submitted report.

(3)   Expressed appreciation to the IRP for their work over the last year on this report.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To ensure that the Council meets its statutory requirements of an annual review and adoption of the scheme.

Audio recording – 1 hour 52 minutes 11 seconds.

N.B Councillor Phil Weeder returned to the Council Chamber at 21:28.

The Democratic Services Manager introduced the item ‘Review of Members Allowances Scheme 2024/25’ and stated that:

·       The Council is required to agree on an annual basis a Scheme of Allowances for the following financial year.

·       When making or amending the Scheme, Council should consider the recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP).

·       Council last considered the Scheme at the Council meeting in January 2023, where it was agreed for one year only, therefore the independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) have conducted a full review of the scheme.

·       Since the last review a new IRP had been appointed for a 4 year period, consisted of Margaret Waller and Tom Etheridge who were in person at the meeting and Julie Byrom who was attending the meeting remotely.

Margaret Waller, Independent Remuneration Panel member highlighted that:

·       The recommendations referred to positions and not the people that occupied those roles.

·       The role of a Councillor often came at a personal cost, and although paid a basic allowance the majority of Members had other jobs or income, to supplement this role.

·       There were a number of approaches used to test the level of Basic Allowance, following which the IRP concluded that the rate was low and an increase of 6.6% was recommended to provide a solid basis for future Members.

·       An attempt was made to depoliticise the Basic Allowance using a formula to baseline the allowance and this was highlighted within paragraph 5.4 of the IRP report. Although this had not been possible with regards to this review the IRP would address it as a key objective in future years.

·       With the forthcoming ‘all out’ elections in 2024 and possibility of changes to the governance structure following the elections, it had not been considered prudent to increase the Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA) in excess of the Council pay award of 5.72%, although there were a few exceptions noted namely Chairs of Area Forums, Chair and Deputy of Council, Independent and Reserve Independent Persons of the Standards Committee and Independent Member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.

·       The SRA for Area Forum Chairs was to be review next year, as the function of the Area Forums had changed in 2023-24.

·       The SRA for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Council and the Independent Persons payment for the Standards Committee and Finance Audit and Risk Committee remained frozen with the details highlighted within paragraphs 11 of the IRP report.

·       The Independent Carers allowance was recommended to increase to £13.15 per hour.

·       The Travel and Subsistence allowance had been amended to included travel by second class train.

The following Members asked questions:

·       Councillor Ian Albert

·       Councillor Daniel Allen

In response to questions, Ms Waller advised that:

·       It was very apparent that the Basic Allowance was too low. However, the IRP were more cautious towards the SRA payments especially with the likelihood of future structure changes.

·       The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 258