Agenda item - Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel

Further to the appointment of an Independent Remuneration Panel (‘IRP’) by full Council at its July 2023 meeting, a report outlining their review of the Council’s Member Allowance Scheme and recommended changes is brought to this committee for its review and recommendation to full Council at its February 2024 meeting.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1) The report and recommendations of the IRP are noted.

Resolved (5 for, 1 against, 1 abstaining, and the Chair not voting) to:

(2) The Members Allowances Scheme be updated to accept Option B (as set out in para 2.6 and Appendix 1)

(3) The SRA forthe Chairof theStandards andConstitution Committeeshould be increased from 10% to 30% ofthe Basic Allowance from 1 April 2024.

Resolved (4 for, 1 against, 2 abstaining, and the Chair not voting) to:

(4) The SRA forthe ViceChair ofthe Standardsand ConstitutionCommittee shouldbe increasedfrom 5%to 15%of theBasic Allowance from 1 April 2024.

Resolved (5 for, 2 abstaining, and the Chair not voting) to:

(5) The SRA for Chair of Human Resources Panel should be withdrawn from the end of this municipal year.

(6) The SRAs for2024/25 tobe inaccordance withthose listedin Appendix 1 ofthe IRP report.

Unanimously resolved to:

(7) That the Council’sexisting DependantsCarers Allowancecontinues withoutamendment.

Resolved (5 for, 2 abstaining, and the Chair not voting) to:

(8) The Annual Indexation of Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances in line with the ‘cost of living’ percentage increase in staff salaries should be implemented from 1 April 2024 /or 1 April 2025 for the next two financial years.

Unanimously resolved to:

(9) To fund any increases to the Members Allowances Scheme that arise from the above recommendations, officers will need to be tasked with identifying compensating savings/additional income within services.

(10) The Panel be instructed to review the Scheme on or before December 2025, as to the following specific issues:

(a) A full reviewof SpecialResponsibility Allowances(SRAs) be undertaken, in particular the ‘One SRAper Councillor”rule;

(b) Explore awarding a SRA for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and

(c) To review and propose a policy for pre-approvedpayments fortravel, subsistenceand attendanceat conferences, seminarsand otherofficial Councilbusiness outsideof theborough, having reviewed how this should work in future.

Further to the appointment of an Independent Remuneration Panel (‘IRP’) by Full Council at its July 2023 meeting, a report outlining their review of the Council’s Member Allowance Scheme and recommended changes was brought to the Committee for its review and recommendation to Full Council.

The following matters were considered:

a) Comparison with historical data. A member informed the Committee that from their analysis of historical data, the basic Members Allowance had increase by an average of 2.1% per year since 2014. The member informed the Committee that on the basis that a councillor spent 15 hours a week working on Council duties, the current basic allowance equated to £5.17 per hour. The member expressed that this amount was half the national minimum wage.

The member informed the Committee that if Option B, as set out in the IRP’s report was adopted, it would provide an annual increase of 5.5% since 2014 and an hourly rate of £7.36. The member informed the Committee that if Option B + 6% indexation for 2024/25 was adopted as set out in the report, it would provide an annual increase of 6.17% since 2014 and an hourly rate of £7.80. The member expressed that these figures were still lower than the national minimum wage.

b) Diversity of councillors. A member expressed the view that members allowances needed to be at a sufficient level to enable a diverse range of people to undertake the role of a councillor.

c) Standards and Constitution Committee. The Committee considered the recommendation of the IRP that the Special Responsibility Allowance for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Standards and Constitution Committee be increased.

d) Thanks to Panel and Officers. The Committee requested that it’s thanks to the members of the IRP and the Council’s Democratic Services Manager and Democratic Services Officer for their work in undertaking the review of allowances be recorded in the minutes.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved that:

(1) The report and recommendations of the IRP are noted.

Resolved with 5 votes for, 1 against, 1 abstaining, and the Chair not voting that:

(2) The Members Allowances Scheme be updated to accept Option B (as set out in para 2.6 and Appendix 1 to the report)