Agenda item

The report of the Management Team set out details of a review undertaken by the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) on the Scheme of Members’ Allowances and summarised the key recommendations arising from the Panel.  Management Team advised that the recommendations of the Panel, if adopted, would produce a saving of circa £30,000 when compared to the budget included within the 2017/18 Estimates.

The Committee recognised the considerable work undertaken by the Panel in evaluating the role undertaken by Members and acknowledged the case made for a reduction in the basic allowance.  However, the Committee felt that it was neither appropriate nor fair to reduce the basic allowance mid-term and that the reduction should not be implemented until after the next Borough Council Election in 2019. 

Members were reminded that, since the last review in 2013, the Council was now required to formally appoint a Deputy Leader on an annual basis and the report set out details of the Special Responsibility Allowance to be applied to this role.

Members recognised the value and role of the vice-chairmen and considered it appropriate to maintain an allowance to vice-chairmen based on 25% of the relevant chairman’s allowance.

Following a comprehensive debate it was

RECOMMENDED:  That, as summarised in the attached matrix at Annex 1,

(1)       the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel’s recommendations be accepted in full, effective after the Borough Council elections in 2019;  

(2)       however, effective from the 2017 Annual Council and during the ‘interim period’ until the Borough Council elections in 2019:-

(a)       the Basic Allowance remain at its current level of £5,283 and protected until after the next Borough Council Election in 2019;

(b)       with regard to the Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA)

(i)      the Leader’s SRA remain at its current level of £18,384;

(ii)     the SRA for the Deputy Leader be introduced and the figure for 2017/18 be £14,000;

(iii)     the Opposition Leader’s SRA be set at £2,250 (this being a flat sum of  £1,250 per annum to recognise the collaborative way of working within the Council, plus £250 per member in the group);

(iv)    Cabinet member’s SRA remain at the current level of £8,400;

(v)     the SRA in respect of chairmen of the Overview and Scrutiny, Licensing and Appeals, Joint Standards and Audit Committees be set at £2,500 per annum;

(vi)    the SRA in respect of chairmen of the three Area Planning Committees be set at £2,500 per chairman per annum;

(vii)   the SRA in respect of chairmen of the General Purposes Committee and programmed Advisory Boards be set at £1,300 per annum;

(viii)   with the exception of the Area Planning Committees, vice-chairmenship allowances for committees be retained and based on 25% of the relevant chairman’s allowance until the Borough Council Election in 2019; and

(ix)    the vice-chairmenship allowances for the Area Planning Committees be set at £325 per annum for each of the three vice-chairmen;

(3)       the level of Childcare and Dependent Carers Allowances be set as recommended by the JIRP;

(4)       the level of Mileage Allowances and Subsistence Allowances be set as recommended by the JIRP;

(5)       the principle of annual indexation of allowances in line with the staff pay award be retained.  However, during the ‘interim period’ indexation should not apply; and

(6)       it be confirmed that individual members should not receive more than one Special Responsibility Allowance (excluding group leaders)

*Referred to Council