Agenda item

Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel (enclosed)

The Council received a report of the Chief Executive enclosing a report on the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel appointed in December 2006 to review the Council’s formal Scheme of Allowances for Members.

The Panel had met three times in January, March and June 2007 with a specific remit to consider the basic allowance payable to Members; the duties for which Members should receive a special responsibility allowance and the amounts of such allowances; and arrangements for the annual uplift of the allowances scheme.

It was moved by the Executive Leader, seconded by the Deputy Leader of the Council, and subsequently RESOLVED that the following recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel be approved and adopted for implementation from 1 April 2007:

(1)    That the annual uplift of Members’ Allowances be at the same rate as the officers annual pay increase and be implemented with effect from 1 April each year;

(2)    That Members’ receive the same allowances for travel and subsistence as officers;

(3)    That if, following a Standards hearing, a Member is found to be in breach of the Code of Conduct and suspended their allowances should be withheld for the period of suspension;

(4)    That the payment of a Special Responsibility Allowance for the Chair of the Standards Committee be formalised in the Members Allowances Scheme at the sum of £1595.00 as previously agreed by Council on 9 July 2002;

(5)    That the posts of Lead Members for Development Control Committee and Licensing be redesignated as the Chair of Development Control Committee and Chair of Licensing and Safety Committee respectively;

(6)    That the special responsibility allowance for the Chair of Development Control Committee and Chair of Licensing and Safety Committee be increased from £1,595 to £2,700 per annum;

(7)    That a special responsibility allowance of £1,330 per annum be paid to the Vice-Chair of the Development Control Committee and the Vice-Chair of Licensing and Safety Committee;

(8)    That a special responsibility allowance of £1,330 per annum be paid to the Chair of the Audit Committee;

(9)    That the special responsibility allowance for the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee/Panels be reviewed in due course by the Panel following the introduction of a revised Overview and Scrutiny structure;

(10)  That the framework produced by the previous Independent Remuneration Panel be re-examined with minor amendments to some of the factor weightings, and that the revised framework be used for any further reviews of the Members’ Allowances Scheme;

(11)  That the following revisions be made to the Members Allowances’ Scheme:

         Paragraph 3: The inclusion of a statement indicating that the Basic Allowance contains an element for Members to publicise their availability to constituents.

         Paragraph 10: Inclusion of the methodology for the annual uprate.

         Paragraph 11: Inclusion of the legal requirement to keep records of payments of allowances open to public inspection and be publicised annually.

         Paragraph 12: The right to allowances will be removed whilst a Councillor is suspended from the Council for breach of the member code of conduct.

         Paragraph 13:  Reference made to equipment and stationery being made available to Councillors.

         Appendix B:  The inclusion of the Approved Duties for which travel and subsistence claims can be made (The Travel and Subsistence Allowances paid to staff will also apply for Members as previously agreed by the Panel).

         Appendix C: The inclusion of Travel and Subsistence Allowances.

         The inclusion of the following guidance notes:

         Appendix D: How do I Claim My Allowances?

         Appendix E: The Effect on Taxation, National Insurance Contributions and Benefit Entitlement.