Issue - meetings

         To consider the attached report.

The Panel was advised that following consideration of its report in 2011, the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee had requested that the following aspects be reviewed:

(a)        the special responsibility allowance payable to the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the light of proposed changes to reporting at Council meetings;

(b)        the IT Connectivity Allowance; eligibility and payment levels;  and

(c)        review of the wording in respect of an assessment of hours worked by Councillors as a basis for calculating the basic allowance by reference to the national minimum wage.

(a)        SRA – Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The Panel was advised that the SRA for the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had traditionally been the same as the basic allowance (£4,300 per annum in the approved scheme with implementation currently being an amount of £3,150 per annum).  It noted that this compared with the SRA for a portfolio holder of £6,450 in the approved scheme with implementation currently being £6,300 per annum.

The Panel was informed that the SRA for the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been queried by members in the context of recent changes to the Council's Constitution providing for Scrutiny Panel Chairmen, rather than the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chairman, to present the reports from Panels at full Council meetings.

The Panel considered the report submitted to the Council on 13 December 2011 which had led to the change in the Constitution. 

The Panel took the view that any reduction in the SRA would imply a reduction in the responsibilities/time commitment of the Overview and Scrutiny Chairman.  The Panel concluded that the change which had taken place had not reduced the responsibilities/time commitment of the Chairman and amounted to an administrative change only. 

            RESOLVED:

            That the Council be recommended to make no change to the SRA for the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the light of the changes in reporting on Overview and Scrutiny matters at Council meetings.

(b)       IT Connectivity Allowance

The Panel was advised that some Overview and Scrutiny members had queried why the Council should continue to pay this sum at a time when the vast majority of councillors had the required access to the Internet in their homes.  The Panel noted that members had also suggested the amounts of this allowance were arbitrary and the link between these payments and Connectivity training courses had been queried.

The Panel recalled that the sum of £500 per annum payable to members in their first year of office was expected to assist them with the cost of a personal computer (if necessary), internet connection and any consumables.  The payment of £250 per annum in subsequent years was designed to assist with the cost of consumable items for the computer.  The Panel discussed the Member Connectivity Scheme and the views expressed by members.  The Panel noted that members had also expressed some interest in electronic (rather than paper) agenda despatch linked to handheld mobile  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4

1. (Assistant to the Chief Executive) The Panel has agreed to carry out a review of the 2010/11 Annual Report of the District council Remuneration Panel as part of its work programme for this year.

2. This addition to the work programme was approved by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee at its July meeting.

3. A copy of the Panel’s report is attached as submitted to the June Council meeting (Appendix 1) . At the latter meeting, the Council adopted proposals for the adoption of a new SRA in respect of the Panel of Licensing Sub Committee Chairmen. The Panel’s proposal was agreed, namely a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) of £3225 per annum divided between the 6 Licensing Sub Chairman. The Council decided that implementation should be at £2362 per annum, divided in the same way.  

4. The Panel asked for all members of the Council to be given an opportunity to comment on remuneration so that any views can be taken into account of the Panel’s review.  Other members have also been invited to attend this meeting if they prefer to comment direct.

5. Rosie Kelly and Stephen Lye, 2 of the 3 members of the Remuneration Panel will attend this meeting to answer questions on their last report.

6. The Scrutiny Panel is reminded that the Council may not change its remuneration scheme unless it has received and considered a report of the Remuneration Panel.  If the scheme is amended by the council on the recommendation of the Panel, it remains for the Council to decide on implementation.

7. Currently, the Council’s Remuneration Scheme (Appendix 2) is not fully implemented at the levels recommended by the Panel. It has also not been updated in respect of the changes mentioned above (Licensing Sub Committee).

The Panel received the Annual Report 2010/11 of the District Council Remuneration Panel. In attendance at the meeting were Ms R Kelly and Mr S Lye. The Council had requested a review of the 2010/11 Annual Report of the District Council Remuneration Panel as part of its work programme for the current year. This was the sixth annual report of the District Remuneration Panel for the Epping Forest District, and summarised its work during 2010/11. The Panel was established under the Local Government Act 2000, requiring Councils to create a Remuneration Panel advising on payments of allowances and expences to Councillors. The Panel asked for all members of the Council to be given an opportunity to comment on remuneration so that any views can be taken into account. The Chairman reported that he had received an email from a Member regarding SRAs. The Remuneration Panel members had stated in their report that there was “no restriction on the number of separate SRA’s which are payable to an individual member.” Mr S Lye said that allowances were awarded according to time spent on having a particular responsibility.

RECOMMENDED:

(1)        That the following recommendation (numbered (11) in the report of the Remuneration Panel) be adopted and submitted to the Council for approval:

“That the reference to first class rail return fare in the current scheme in relation to travel to meetings outside the District or by members resident outside the District be removed from the scheme;” and

(2)        That for the purposes of the next review of member remuneration, the Panel be requested to review the following:

(a)        the SRA payable to the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the light of proposed changes to reporting at Council meetings;

(b)        the IT Connectivity Allowance: eligibility and payment levels; and

(c)        review of wording in respect of an assessment of hours worked and responsibility levels by Councillors as a basis for calculating the Basic Allowance by reference to the national minimum wage.

(Independent Remuneration Panel) To consider the attached report.

In the absence of Rosemary Kelly, member of the Panel who was to have presented the report but was not at the meeting as she had been involved in a road traffic accident the previous week, the Chairman invited Mr I Willett to present the report.

Mr Willett submitted the Annual Report 2010/11 of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

Motion moved by Councillor Stallan and seconded by Councillor Knapman.

“That the following recommendation of the Panel be adopted:

“(6)      That, as it is considered the role of Licensing Sub-Committee Chairmen is similar to the role undertaken by Area Plans Sub-Committee Chairmen, a Special Responsibility Allowance be paid totalling £3225 per annum to be divided equally between the six Licensing Sub-Committee Chairmen”.

Carried

Second motion moved by Councillor Philip and seconded by Councillor Wagland.

“That the level of implementation of the allowance for the Chairman of Licensing Sub-Committee Chairman be set at £2362 per annum.”

Carried

Third motion moved by Councillor Wagland and seconded by Councillor Philip

“That the remaining recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel be noted”

                                                                                                                           Carried

Report as amended ADOPTED

            RESOLVED:

            (1)        That, as it is considered the role of Licensing Sub-Committee Chairmen is similar to the role undertaken by Area Plans Sub-Committee Chairmen, a Special Responsibility Allowance be paid totalling £3225 per annum to be divided equally between the six Licensing Sub-Committee Chairmen;

            (2)        That the level of implementation of the allowance for the Chairmen of the Licensing Sub-Committee be set at £2362 per annum;  and

            (3)        That the remaining recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel be noted.