Agenda item

This report asks Council to consider the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel in relation to Members’ Allowances.

Discussion:

This report set out the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel following Council’s decision on 24 February 2011, that the Independent Remuneration Panel be recommended to reduce Members’ Allowances by 5%, saving £39,000. It was noted that the complexity of the issues and the timing of the Local Elections resulted in delays in the Independent Remuneration Panel making its’ final recommendations and therefore bringing them to the Council until this stage.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Rodney Chambers, supported by the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Councillor Jarrett, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.

Decision:

(a)   The Council agreed the Basic Allowance paid to all Councillors should be reduced by 3.26% to £8,730.86 per year and be index-linked to officer pay awards for the next four years.

(b)   The Council agreed that the Allowances payable to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor be reduced by 3.26% as follows: Mayor £13,267.60 and Deputy Mayor £6,685.23 and that they be index-linked to officer pay awards for the next four years.

(c)   The Council agreed that the levels of other Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA) should be as follows, and be index-linked to officer pay awards for the next four years on the basis that savings of £13,758 are also achieved from the non-payment of one Basic Allowance and the SRA to the Leader of the Opposition Group with more than 10% of Members:

(d)   The Council agreed that the current provisions in the Members Allowances’ Scheme whereby those in receipt of more than one SRA from Medway and/or the Kent Police or Kent Fire and rescue Authorities, should have the second and any subsequent Medway SRA discounted by an appropriate amount remain unchanged.

(e)   The Council agreed that the SRA to members of the Licensing Hearing Panel be at the rate of £31.75 per day and be index-linked to officer pay awards for the next four years.

(f)     The Council agreed that the Members’ Allowance scheme be adjusted to include a payment of £31.75 per day to members of 1982 Panel Hearings and be index-linked to officer pay awards for the next four years.

(g)   The Council agreed that the Members’ Allowance Scheme be amended to (a) adjust the maximum hourly rate to be claimed for dependents’ and carer’s allowance to £3.57 and that this be index-linked annually to the average Medway registered childminder rate for a maximum of four years; (b) adjust the maximum payable in any 24 hour period for conference attendance to £64.26 (representing 18 hours), and this be index-linked annually to the average Medway registered childminder rate.

(h)   The Council agreed that the current subsistence and travel rates in the Members’ Allowances Scheme remain at the current level, and that as currently, they are not uprated annually in line with the officers’ pay award for the next four years.

(i)     The Council agreed that the changes to the Members’ Allowances Scheme take effect from 1 May 2012.