Agenda item

The report and recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel are submitted for Members’ consideration.

Background:

This report set out the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel in relation to the Members’ Allowances Scheme.

The report explained that the Panel had undertaken a review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme, following the local elections earlier in 2024, including the Basic Allowance, Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs), subsistence and travel allowances, rates for childcare and dependent adult care, as well as the annual up rating index. The Panel had also reviewed the allowances payable to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor even though they were not formally covered by the Scheme.

The Panel’s report was attached as Appendix 1 to the report.A Diversity Impact Assessment in relation to the outcome was attached at Appendix 2 and theexisting Members’ Allowances Scheme was attached as Appendix 3.

It was requested that the Councillor Conduct Committee undertake a review of claims made under the Member Allowances Scheme at the earliest appropriate opportunity.

Councillor Maple, supported by Councillor Hamilton proposed the recommendations set out in report, subject to the following alteration to the recommendations:

Revised recommendations as follows:

1.4          The Panel’s recommendations set out in paragraph 10.3 of their report, that the benchmark for the SRA relating to cabinet portfolio holders be increased from 150% to 160% be not implemented with effect from 1 April 2024.

1.5          The Panel’s recommendations set out in paragraphs 10.4 and 10.5 of their report that the benchmark for the SRA for Chairpersons of Overview & Scrutiny Committees is increased from 100% to 120% be not implemented with effect from 1 April 2024.

1.7     The table below showing the benchmarks for each SRA against the basic allowance that take effect from 1 April 2024 until 31 May 2027.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was won.

Decisions:

The Council approved:

a)    The Panel’s recommendations that paragraphs 1, 2, 3 ,4, 5 and 6 of the Members’ Allowances Scheme remain unchanged.

b)    The Panel’s recommendations relating to the formula for the calculation and indexing of the basic allowance, as set out in paragraphs 9.4-9.16 of their report.

c)    The Panel’s recommendations set out in paragraph 10.3 of their report, that the benchmark for the SRA relating to Cabinet Portfolio Holders be increased from 150% to 160% be not implemented with effect from 1 April 2024.

d)    The Panel’s recommendations set out in paragraphs 10.4 and 10.5 of their report that the benchmark for the SRA for Chairpersons of Overview and Scrutiny Committees be increased from 100% to 120% be not implemented with effect from 1 April 2024.

e)    The Panel’s recommendations set out in paragraphs 10.6 and 10.7 of their report that an annual SRA be paid to an Independent Person, if appointed to the Audit Committee, at a benchmark of 10%.

f)     The table below showing the benchmarks for each SRA against the basic allowance that would take effect from 1 April 2024 until 31 May 2027.

g)    The Panel’s recommendation set out in paragraphs 11.1 and 11.2 of their report that the SRA to the Chairperson of Licensing and Safety Committee and members of the Licensing Hearing Panel and Licensing 1982 Panel Hearings from 1 April 2024 would continue to be index-linked to the median Council staff hourly pay until 31 May 2027.

h)    The Panel’s recommendation set out in paragraph 1.5 of their report that paragraph 7.1.2 of the Scheme relating to what the basic allowance was intended to cover would remain unchanged.

i)      The Panel’s recommendations set out in paragraphs 17.1 – 17.4 of their report that Councillors on the Fostering Panel would receive an SRA from 1 April 2024 and that the SRA be the equivalent of, and index-linked to, the median Council staff hourly pay until 31 May 2027.

j)      The Panel’s recommendations set out in paragraphs 10.6 and 10.7 of their report that should the Council agree to appoint an Independent Person to Audit Committee and wish to pay that person an allowance to reflect the time and effort involved, an annual allowance benchmarked at 10% of the basic allowance against which it should be index-linked to the median Council staff hourly pay until 31 May 2027.

k)    The Panel’s recommendation set out in paragraph 12.1 of their report that a Member of the Council was only entitled to receive one Special Responsibility Allowance at any one time.

l)      The Panel’s recommendations set out in paragraphs 13.1 – 13.8 in their report relating to dependent carer’s allowance such that (a) Councillors may claim the actual expenses incurred including the existing provision to cover up to one hour travel time and that appropriate proof of payment be provided; and (b) that the existing requirement that the allowance would not apply where the carer is a member of the Councillors’ own household still applies; and (c) the existing provisions in the Scheme setting out the maximum that could be claimed in any one 24 hour period while attending a conference be removed.

m)  The Panel’s recommendations set out in paragraph 14 that (a) paragraphs 7.3 and 7.3.1 and 7.3.2 of the Scheme, the list of duties qualifying for travelling and subsistence allowances in Appendix 1 and the subsistence rates set out in Appendix 2 remain unchanged and be indexed against those payable to Council staff for a maximum of four years to 31 May 2027; and (b) Appendix 3 setting out the rates per mile be amended to indicate that the rate for use of all models of electric cars would be £45p: and (c) the mileage rates be indexed against the HMRC Approved Mileage Allowance Payment (AMAP) rate until 31 May 2027.

n)    The Panel’s recommendation set out in paragraph 15 of their report that paragraphs 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the Members’ Allowances Scheme relating to Conference expenses, duties for which allowances could and could not be claimed and how to claim would remain unchanged.

o)    That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director, Legal and Governance to amend the Members’ Allowances Scheme as it appeared in the Constitution, in accordance with the decisions of this meeting of Full Council.