Independent Remuneration Panel
Minutes:
26.1 The Chief Executive introduced the report and highlighted the key elements within it. He went on to say that due to the difficulty of Councillors debating their own allowances, a Cross Party Panel had been formed to undertake an analysis of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP)’s findings.
26.2 The Cross- Party Panel’s recommendations were highlighted in the report in red, to draw attention to those areas where the Panel had deviated away from the recommendations of the IRP. The reasoning behind those recommendations were set out in paragraphs 3.4 to 3.12 in the report.
26.3 Finally, the Chief Executive drew attention to the Terms of Reference of the IRP and informed Council that the IRP had been asked to look at the Scheme on the basis that a period of time had elapsed since the last review, and more specifically because the Council had adopted a Leader/Cabinet model and to consider whether any changes should be backdated after the implementation of the Leader/Cabinet model.
26.4 Councillor Gowrley MOVED the recommendations in the report and informed Council of a further amendment to the recommendations as follows:-
“that the multiplier for the Lead Member role remain at 0.75 of the basis allowance”
26.5 Councillor Horn seconded the proposals and reserved the right to speak.
26.7 Councillor Mansel asked why the review had taken so long?
26.8 In response the Chief Executive stated that the formal decision to create the Cabinet/Leader model was made in May 2017. It was always known that there was a need to carry out a review and the intention was that the review would have taken place ahead of Christmas last year. The Panel itself was not created and commissioned until towards the end of the year and it had taken longer than expected to carry out the review. As the review had taken place further into the new model it has been possible to gain the actual evidence from Members as to what their new roles and responsibilities entailed.
26.9 Councillor Otton sought clarification on the recommendation from the IRP relating to childcare and dependents allowances and asked whether the allowance would only be paid for professional care on the product of a receipt?
26.10 In response the Chief Executive clarified that the Cross- Party Panel had disagreed that these allowances should only be paid for professional care and had amended the wording in 2.1e of the report to reflect this.
26.11 Councillor Field raise concerns relating to the proposals to pay more than one Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA).
26.12 In response Councillor Gowrley stated that there had always been a history of having multiple allowances at Mid Suffolk but the proposal was now to limit this to two, which he fully supported, as he felt that if you did the job you should receive the relevant allowance.
26.17 Councillor Eburne asked what the total cost of the recommendations would be to the Council if they were approved?
26.18 In response the Chief Executive confirmed that, if the changes that Councillor Gowrley had moved at the start of the meeting be approved, the cost to the Council would be £66,050.
26.17 Councillor Stringer stated that the review had been undertaken at the wrong time and should be done as the last task of the outgoing Council ready for the new incoming Councillors.
26.18 Under Part 3 Paragraph 18.5 of the Constitution a recorded vote was requested by five Councillors for the amended recommendations as tabled along with the additional amendment as detailed in Minute 26.4 “that the multiplier for the Lead Member role remain at 0.75 of the basic allowance”
26.19 The recommendations were PUT to the meeting and CARRIED.
26.20 The voting was recorded as follows:-
For |
Against |
Abstention |
Cllr R Barker |
Cllr J Caston |
|
Cllr G Brewster |
Cllr R Eburne |
|
Cllr M Burke |
Cllr J Field |
|
Cllr D Burn |
Cllr A Killett |
|
Cllr P Ekpenyong |
Cllr S Mansel |
|
Cllr J Flatman |
Cllr W Marchant |
|
Cllr J Fleming |
Cllr J Matthissen |
|
Cllr E Gibson- Harries |
Cllr D Muller |
|
Cllr N Gowrley |
Cllr M Norris |
|
Cllr D Green |
Cllr P Otton |
|
Cllr G Horn |
Cllr A Stringer |
|
Cllr J Levantis |
Cllr K Welham |
|
Cllr S Morley |
|
|
Cllr K Welsby |
|
|
Cllr J Whitehead |
|
|
Cllr J Wilshaw |
|
|
|
|
|
Total 16 |
Total 12 |
Total 0 |
It was Resolved:-
(i) that the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) as reviewed by the joint, cross party panel of councillors be approved as set out below:-
a) That the Basic (Ward Representation) Allowance be set at £5,000.
b) That the Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA) be set at:-
Role |
Multiplier |
Amount |
Chairman of the Council |
1 |
£5,000 |
Deputy Chairman of the Council |
0.5 |
£2,500 |
Leader of Council |
2.5 |
£12,500 |
Deputy Leader of the Council |
1.25 |
£6,250 |
Chair of Development Control Committee |
1 |
£5,000 |
Vice-Chair of Development Control |
0.25 |
£1,250 |
Chair of Scrutiny Committee |
1 |
£5,000 |
Vice-Chair of Scrutiny Committee |
0.5 |
£2,500 |
Chair of Joint Audit and Standards Committee |
0.5 |
£2,500 |
Planning Committee Members |
0.1 |
£500 |
Political Group Leaders |
0.2 |
£1,000 |
Chair of Regulatory Committee |
0.5 |
£2,500 |
Vice-Chair of Regulatory Committee |
0.25 |
£1,250 |
Cabinet Member with Portfolio |
1.25 |
£6,250 |
Cabinet Member without Portfolio |
0.5 |
£2500 |
Lead Member |
0.75 |
£3750 |
c) That with the exception of the SRA for Group Leaders, no Councillor will be entitled to claim more than two SRAs.
d) That the Travel and Subsistence Allowance be set at:-
· Mileage Rate 45p per mile
· Cycle Mileage Rate 27.7p per mile
· Passenger Allowance 5p per mile
e) That the Childcare and Dependants Allowance be set at:-
· Childcare Allowance up to £13 per hour (subject to a receipt)
· Dependants Relative Care/Specialist Nursing Care Allowance up to £30 per hour (subject to a receipt)
f) That the revised Member Allowance Scheme will take effect from the creation of the Leader/Cabinet model (22 May 2017)
g) That the revised Basic Allowance be increased in line with the Local Government Officer pay awards until the scheme is next reviewed in 2022 or earlier.
h) That a revised Members Allowances Scheme incorporating the decisions of the Council be prepared by the Monitoring Officer. Further, that the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make any typographical and other minor / consequential amendments prior to publication of the final document.
i) That the Council formally records its thanks to the Independent Remuneration Panel for their work in preparing the report.
Supporting documents: