COUNCIL |
17 July 2019 |
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Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel held on 24th and 25th April 2019 – Members’ Allowances Scheme |
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Final Decision-Maker |
COUNCIL |
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Lead Head of Service |
Angela Woodhouse, Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
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Lead Officer and Report Author |
Ryan O’Connell, Democratic and Electoral Services Manager and Caroline Matthews, Principal Democratic Services Officer |
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Classification |
Public |
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Wards affected |
All |
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Executive Summary |
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The Independent Remuneration Panel met on 24 and 25 April 2019 to review the Members’ Allowances Scheme, and the Panel’s recommendations are attached to this report at Appendix A.
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Purpose of Report
Decision
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This report makes the following recommendations to Council: |
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1. That the Independent Remuneration Panel’s recommendations in regard to the Members’ Allowances Scheme be approved as follows:-
1)
That the updated formula be applied to the basic allowance 2)
That the Deputy Leader be provided with a Special
3) That
the Chairman of the newly established Democracy and 4)
That the Dependent carers allowance be paid at market 6)
That Members should not submit expenses claims that are 7)
That role profiles are produced for a) the generic councillor
8)
That an indexation rise be continued which would be linked to 9)
That there should not be a Special Responsibility Allowance for
12) That the Member Development
and Training arrangements 2. That the date of implementation
for the new rates be as follows:-
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Timetable |
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Meeting |
Date |
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Council |
17 July 2019 |
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Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel held on 24th and 25th April 2019 – Members’ Allowances Scheme |
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1. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
Issue |
Implications |
Sign-off |
Impact on Corporate Priorities |
The Members’ Allowances Scheme supports and recognises the work of the Councillors. |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
Cross Cutting Objectives |
The Scheme gives clarity to the payments made to Councillors.
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Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
Risk Management |
No significant risks. See paragraph 5 below. |
Democratic and Electoral Services Manager |
Financial |
The proposals set out in the recommendation can be met from within existing budgets. |
Section 151 Officer & Finance Team |
Staffing |
We will deliver the recommendations with our current staffing.
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Democratic and Electoral Services Manager |
Legal |
The legal framework for Members’ Allowances is established under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, section 18. This gave the Secretary of State the power to make regulations authorising or requiring local authorities to pay a basic allowance to each councillor and special responsibility allowances to councillors with special responsibilities.
allow the Secretary of State to make regulations providing for the payment of pensions, allowances and gratuities to Members and the payment of carers allowances. Under the Local Authorities (Member Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003, before a local authority makes or amends a scheme for Members’ Allowances, it must have regard to the recommendations made to it by an independent remuneration panel. |
[Legal Team] |
Privacy and Data Protection |
No implications. |
Policy and Information Team |
Equalities |
No impact identified as a result of the report recommendations. |
Equalities and Corporate Policy Officer |
Public Health
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We recognise that the recommendations will not negatively impact on population health or that of individuals. |
Democratic and Electoral Services Manager |
Crime and Disorder |
No implications. |
Democratic and Electoral Services Manager |
Procurement |
No implications. |
Democratic and Electoral Services Manager |
2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
2.1
The
Independent Remuneration Panel met on 24 and 25 April 2019 to review the
Members’ Allowances Scheme. The report of the Panel can be found at Appendix A
to this report.
2.2
The
basic allowance would not include an indexation rise as the formula applied,
which was agreed in March 2018 by Council, is based on the nomis hourly rate by
place of residence according to the National Office of Statistics.
2.3
One
of the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel was to afford the
Democracy and General Purposes Committee Chairman a Special Responsibility
Allowance on the proviso that the Panel were satisfied that the work programme
for the year was significant enough to warrant a Special Responsibility
Allowance. The Panel have been given a copy of the work programme and are now
satisfied that the Special Responsibility Allowance should be afforded to this
role.
2.4 It should be recognised that no Member may receive more than one Special Responsibility Allowance.
3.
AVAILABLE
OPTIONS
The Authority is required to undergo a four yearly independent
review of its Members’ Allowances Scheme and should have regard
to the recommendations made in relation to it by an independent
remuneration panel as set out the Local Authorities (Members’
Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003.
4.
PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
The Council could choose not to adopt any of the recommendations but this is not recommended as the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 state that an Authority should have regard to the recommendations.
5. RISK
5.1 There are no risk management implications arising from this report.
6. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION
6.1 If
Council were minded to approve the recommendations of the Panel then
the revised figures outlined in the report would be incorporated in the
Members Allowances Scheme and advertised in the local newspaper for
transparency.
7. REPORT APPENDICES
· Appendix A: Report of the Remuneration Panel
8. BACKGROUND PAPERS
None