Agenda item

Members' allowances working group

Minutes:

The JIRP Report had been presented to Committee on 27 June 2017 and recommended to Council on 18 July 2017, where before accepting the recommendations it had requested the Chairman of Governance to set up a working group to look at a number of issues which included the omission of an SRA for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Community Infrastructure Levy Board and at what level any SRA should be; the proposed level of SRA for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Development Control Committee; and the budgetary implications of the report and any other proposed changes.  It gave the Chairman delegated authority to set up a suitable working party.  

However, the Chairman of the Governance Committee was of the view that such a working group represented a limited range of views, because of its limited membership, and the outcome was likely to be unchanged.  Accordingly, after sounding out a wide range of members for their views, he concluded that the recommendations in Appendix A to the report be put forward to the Governance Committee for consideration.

The recommendation included some changes starting immediately and some coming in from 2019/20.  The financial effects of these changes were detailed in Appendix B to the report.  The effect of the changes starting immediately could be seen in the ‘Working Group Scheme 2018/19’ scenario and the effect of the changes coming in from 2019/20 could be seen in the ‘Working Group Scheme 2019/20’ scenario.

Members discussed the timings of the changes and the pros and cons of the implementation dates, other than those being proposed to be implemented immediately.  There was some concern that the electorate would see a newly formed Council receiving a pay increase when the decision had in fact been taken by the previous leadership.

Resolved:  That it be recommended to Council that

 

a) that the Chairman of the CIL board be remunerated at the same rate as the Chairs of other committees, namely £2,144 p.a. with immediate effect;

 

b) that the Vice Chair of the CIL board be remunerated at the same rate as other Vice Chairs of committees, namely £534 p.a. with immediate effect;

 

c) that the allowance for the Vice Chair of Development Control committee be increased to £1,000 p.a. with immediate effect; and

 

d) that otherwise the recommendations of the JIRP be instituted with effect from the commencement of the municipal year 2019/20, namely:

 

(a)  The basic allowance shall remain unchanged.

 

(b)  Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) should be:

 

a.    Council Leader                                         £20,000 p.a.

 

b.   Deputy Leader                                         £12,000 p.a.

 

c.    Opposition Group Leaders               £270 p.a. per group member

 

d.   Cabinet Members                                     £7,000 p.a.

 

e.   Deputy Cabinet Members                          £1,600 p.a.

 

f.    Committee Chairs                                    £1,500 - £5,000 p.a.

 

g.    Advisory Committee Chairs                       £2,500 p.a.

 

h.   Development Control Ctte Vice Chair         £1,000 p.a.

 

i.     Vice Chairs of other committees shall not receive a SRA.

 

j.    Development Control Ctte Members           £500 p.a.

 

k.    Licensing Ctte Members                            £135 p.a.

 

l.     Standards Co-optees                                £480 p.a.

 

(c)  Child Care Allowance be payable at the actual amount charged, subject to a maximum rate of £7.20 per child per hour.

 

(d)  Dependent Carer’s Allowance be payable at the actual amount charged, subject to a maximum of £16.00 per hour.

 

(e)  Allowances be updated in line with any annual increases in pay awards to Council staff.

 

(f)   Travel expenses continue to be based upon the HMRC approved rate.

 

(g)  The existing scheme for meal and subsistence allowances continue.

 

(h)  The existing IT allowance be stopped.

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

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