Agenda item

To consider proposals for the Members’ Scheme of Allowances for 2018/19.

The Chairman of the Independent Remuneration Panel, David Brunwin, introduced the recommendations of the Panel’s report on the Scheme of Member Allowances.

He summarised the main three recommendations, the increase of 1% in the basic allowance and special responsibility allowances; the establishing of a special responsibility allowance (“SRA”) for members of the Licensing and Environmental Health Committee; and the adoption of a revised scheme for reimbursement of refreshments and travel costs.

He said the Panel had decided not to recommend linking the increase in the basic allowance and SRAs to future local government pay awards but to continue proposing regular modest increases in the level of the basic allowance, as this was seen to be preferable to proposing larger increases less often.  Regarding the new SRA for members of the Licensing and Environmental Health Committee, it was apparent that the workload of the committee was not shared equally by all its members.  Following an interview with the Chairman of that Committee, Councillor Chambers, a modest SRA was recommended to reflect the commitment and responsibility which the role involved and the need to be available for unscheduled meetings at fairly short notice.  Regarding the changes to the scheme of allowances for travel, meals and refreshments, the recommendations made it clear that hospitality for guests would not be reimbursed, and set limits to the amounts which could be claimed. 

Consideration of the introduction of allowances for substitutes was given, but the Panel felt the substitute system needed to have been underway for longer before it could reach any conclusions about payment to the members concerned, and intended to return to this subject. 

The Panel also considered the role of deputies, but felt there was no justification for an SRA given that collective decision making tended to operate. 

The Panel finally supported the Council’s intention to fund all elected councillors as “data controllers” in order to cover their personal liability when conducting Council business.  

The Chairman thanked David Brunwin and the panel members for their work during the past few months. 

Councillor Chambers also thanked the panel, in particular for taking notice of his comments regarding the Licensing and Environmental Health Committee.  It was understood that not all members were able to attend the extraordinary meetings of the Committee, but the introduction of a small Special Responsibility Allowance was a welcome recognition for those members who attended those meetings.  He proposed the recommendations. 

Councillor Rolfe seconded the recommendations. 

Councillor Morris spoke as a member of the Licensing and Environmental Health Committee.  She said she had had to return to a day job, and that often could not attend the extraordinary committee meetings, but supported the new Special Responsibility Allowance.  However, given that many residents endured budgetary pressures, she could not support the increase in allowances overall.

Councillor Rolfe thanked the Independent Remuneration Panel for their dedication.  External review of remuneration was important, and their recommendations should be followed unless there was disagreement.  He agreed that allowances should keep pace with public sector pay awards, in a consistent and controlled manner. 

The Chairman thanked the Panel for their work. 

RESOLVED  that

1 the Council adopts the recommended scheme of allowances for the year 2018/19:

All other elements of the scheme to remain unchanged; only one SRA to be payable to a member at any one time, being the higher of the two or more allowances to which the member is entitled. 

2.  A new allowance of £237.75 be paid for Licensing and Environmental Health Committee members, based on a threshold calculated as follows:  in a municipal year when at least ten meetings of the Committee take place in a purely regulatory capacity, a payment will be made of a Special Responsibility Allowance to committee members attending at least 50% of those meetings. 

(i) The SRA payable in the circumstances set out in 2 above will be the equivalent of three days at the daily rate (calculated by dividing the basic allowance by 65, eight hour days)

(ii) The allowance will not be made to the Chairman of the Committee as a separate SRA is paid to the Chairman, and is subject to the rule that only one SRA is payable to a member at any one time (the higher of the two or more to which a member is entitled).

3.         To include in the scheme of allowances limits to the amount that can be claimed for meals and refreshments as set out below, and to make it clear that claims for hospitality for guests are not permitted:

                                    Allowance                              Rate

                                    Breakfast                                £7.21

                                    Lunch                                      £9.95

                                    Tea                                          £3.94

                                    Evening meal              £12.33