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DEMOCRACY AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

29 MARCH 2023

 

Members Allowances Review 2023 – IRP Community Representative Appointment

 

Final Decision-Maker

Council

Lead Head of Service

Angela Woodhouse, Director of Strategy, Insight and Governance

Lead Officer and Report Author

Ryan O’Connell, Democratic and Electoral Services Manager

Classification

Public

 

Wards affected

All

 

Executive Summary

 

In order for the Council to complete its Members Allowances Review 2023 it needs to appoint a community representative to the Independent Remuneration Panel.

 

Purpose of Report

 

Decision

 

 

This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee:

 

That Council be recommended to appoint Derek Butler as the Community representative on the Independent Remuneration Panel for the Members Allowances Review 2023.

 

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Democracy and General Purposes Committee

29 March 2023

Council

19 April 2023


Members Allowances Review 2023 – IRP Community Representative Appointment

 

1.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

The four Strategic Plan objectives are:

 

·         Embracing Growth and Enabling Infrastructure

·         Safe, Clean and Green

·         Homes and Communities

·         A Thriving Place

 

We do not expect the recommendations will by themselves materially affect achievement of corporate priorities.  However, it is important that Councillors are fairly remunerated for performing their roles.

Democratic and Electoral Services Manager

Cross Cutting Objectives

The four cross-cutting objectives are:

 

·         Heritage is Respected

·         Health Inequalities are Addressed and Reduced

·         Deprivation and Social Mobility is Improved

·         Biodiversity and Environmental Sustainability is respected

 

We do not expect the recommendations will by themselves materially affect achievement of cross cutting objectives.  However, it is important that Councillors are fairly remunerated for performing their roles.

 

Democratic and Electoral Services Manager

Risk Management

As there has not been a wide recruitment process followed to find potential community representatives there is a minor risk that the decision to make an appointment could be challenged. Whilst officers are confident such a challenge would fail, the recommended term of appointment has been limited to just this review to recognise that a wider appointment process would be preferable for an appointment on a longer basis.

 

Democratic and Electoral Services Manager

Financial

The recommendation in this report has no financial impact.  However, the outcome of the Members Allowances Review will impact on the amount of funding required for Members Allowances.

 

[Section 151 Officer & Finance Team]

Staffing

The appointment would mean that the Community Representative position on the Independent Remuneration Panel would be filled.

 

The other roles, as specified by the constitution, of a South East Employers representative and a Kent Chamber of Commerce Representative, will be filled by other means.

Democratic and Electoral Services Manager

Legal

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.

 

The constitution sets out the membership of the Independent Remuneration panel in Part B2, and stipulates that the appointment of the community representative will be by a recommendation of the Democracy and General Purposes Committee to Council.

Interim Team Leader (Contentious and Corporate Governance)

Privacy and Data Protection

The recommendations do not propose a change in service therefore will not require an equalities impact assessment

Equalities & Communities Officer

Equalities

None

[Policy & Information Manager]

Public Health

 

 

None

[Public Health Officer]

Crime and Disorder

None

Democratic and Electoral Services Manager

Procurement

None

Democratic and Electoral Services Manager

Biodiversity and Climate Change

None

 

[Biodiversity and Climate Change Officer]

 

 

2.      INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

2.1     The Council introduced new Governance arrangements in May 2022.  To support those arrangements the Council agreed a new scheme of Members Allowances on the recommendation of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

 

2.2     As the Members Allowances were supporting a new Governance model it was felt prudent to plan a review of those allowances to ensure they reflected the Governance model once it had been in operation for a suitable period.  That review is planned for June 2023.

 

2.3     In order to carry out that review the Council is required to take into account the views of an Independent Remuneration Panel.  The constitution sets out the membership of that panel as one representative from South East Employers, one representative from the Kent Chamber of Commerce and one Community representative to be appointed by Council on the recommendation of the Democracy and General Purposes Committee.

 

2.4     It is necessary to make this appointment now so that a recommendation can be made to Council in time for the review to commence in June 2023 as planned. 

 

2.5     This report recommends Derek Butler as the Community representative for the purposes of conducting the Members Allowance Review 2023.  Derek Butler was on the Independent Remuneration Panel that originally considered the scheme and new Governance arrangements.  He is trained and experienced in the issues being reviewed and is therefore recommended.  However, Members should be aware that due to time constraints a wide recruitment process for potential candidates was not carried out.  Therefore, it is not recommended that Derek Butler’s term run beyond this one review, without a full process being followed.

 

 

 

3.   AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

3.1     Option 1 – That Derek Butler be recommended to Council to be appointed as the community representative on the Independent Remuneration Panel for the Members Allowances Review 2023.

 

3.2     Option 2 – That Derek Butler be recommended to Council to be appointed as the community representative on the Independent Remuneration Panel for a set period of up to 2 years.  This would have the added benefit of securing a community representative for a period of time, but it is not recommended for the reasons set out in 2.5 above, and as this has not been confirmed as suitable with the candidate.

 

3.3     Option 3 – That an alternative community candidate be appointment though none has been identified.

 

3.4     Option 4 – not to make an appointment, this is not recommended as it would mean the Members Allowance Review 2023 could not be carried out.

 

 

4.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

4.1     Option 1 for the reasons set out.

 

 

5.       RISK

5.1    The risks associated with this report are considered acceptable and are covered in paragraph 2.6 and the issues table.

6.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

 

6.1     The Committee previously considered Derek Butler and recommended his appointment to Council for the Independent Remuneration Panel in 2022 that produced the current Members Allowances scheme.

 

 

7.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

7.1     A recommendation will be made to Council by the Democracy and General Purposes Committee.

 

7.2     If agreed the Independent Remuneration Panel would meet on 13 and 14 June 2023.

 

 

 

8.        REPORT APPENDICES

 

  None

 

 

9.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

None