Issue - meetings

To consider the attached report.

The Democratic Services Manager reminded the Panel that the annual review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme commenced in September each year, in order to ensure that any recommendations for revision to elements of the Scheme could be considered by the time that the Council’s budget was approved for the following financial year.

Members noted that, to commence the review process for 2020/21, a general invitation had been extended to all elected and co-opted members of the Council on behalf of the Panel, to express any suggestions or concerns with regard to the current operation of the allowances scheme. The Democratic Services Manager reported that no representations had been received as a result of such invitation.

Basic Allowance

The Panel was reminded that, at its meeting on 15 December 2016, the Council had agreed the implementation of 100% of the amount of Basic Allowance for each member with effect from the commencement of the 2016/17 municipal year, in line with the recommendations of the Panel over a number of years.

The Democratic Services Manager reported that,in considering the recommendations of the Panel in December 2016, the Council had also agreed that no change be made to the payment of the full amount of Basic Allowance of £4,300.00 per member per annum to be included in the Members’ Allowances Scheme, following an increase in the implementation rate of the Basic Allowance from 2016/17 in line with the recommendations of the Panel that the authority should implement 100% of the amount of Basic Allowance for each member, rather than the level of 80% previously applied.

The Panel considered the findings of an updated benchmarking exercise undertaken amongst comparable local authorities as part of its review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme, in order to assess whether an inflationary increase in the level of Basic Allowance, linked to recent local government pay awards, should be considered. However, whilst noting that the Council was currently almost the lowest of the comparator authorities in terms of Basic Allowance, the Panel did not consider it necessary to recommend any changes to the application of Basic Allowance for 2020/21. However, members’ considered that it would be appropriate to continue to revisit the application of Basic Allowance as part of the annual review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme, notwithstanding that the implementation of any increase would be a matter for the Council to determine and that there remained a continued need for restraint in the setting of the authority’s annual budget.

Special Responsibility Allowance

The Panel did not consider that it was necessary to make any changes to the Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) applied to various member positions for 2019/20, as there had been no change in such responsibilities since the review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme for the current year. However, the Panel wished to encourage the Council to increase the implementation level of the relevant allowances identified in the Members’ Allowances Scheme, in order to achieve the full amount of each allowance as soon as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report.

The Democratic Services Manager reminded the Panel that the annual review of the Council’s Member Allowances Scheme commenced in September each year, in order to ensure that any recommendations for revision to elements of the Scheme could be considered by the time that the authority’s budget was approved for the following financial year.

To commence the review process for 2018/19, a general invitation had been extended to all elected and co-opted members on behalf of the Panel, to express any suggestions or concerns with regard to the current operation of the allowances scheme. It was reported that one representation had been received as a result of such invitation.

Members’ Allowances Scheme

The Democratic Services Manager reported that, at its meeting on 15 December 2016, the Council had agreed the implementation of 100% of the amount of Basic Allowance for each member with effect from the commencement of the 2016/17 municipal year, in line with the recommendations of the Panel over a number of years. It was noted that the Council had also agreed that, from 2016/17, consideration of the amount of SRA applied to the positions of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council be added to the responsibilities of the Panel and that the level of such SRA should therefore be considered as part of the Panel’s annual review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme.

Basic Allowance

The Democratic Services Manager reported that,in considering the recommendations of the Panel in December 2016, the Council had agreed that no change be made to the payment of the full amount of Basic Allowance of £4,300.00 per member per annum to be included in the Members’ Allowances Scheme, following an increase in the implementation rate of the Basic Allowance from 2016/17 in line with the recommendations of the Panel that the authority should implement 100% of the amount of Basic Allowance for each member, rather than the level of 80% previously applied.

The Panel did not consider it necessary to recommend any further changes to the application of Basic Allowance for 2018/19. However, members’ considered that it would be appropriate to continue to revisit the application of Basic Allowance as part of the annual review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme, notwithstanding that the implementation of any increase would be a matter for the Council to determine and that there remained a continued need for restraint in the setting of the authority’s annual budget.

Special Responsibility Allowance

The Panel did not consider that it was necessary to make any changes to the Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) applied to various member positions for 2018/19, as there had been no change in such responsibilities since the review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme for the current year. However, the Panel wished to encourage the Council to increase the implementation level of the relevant allowances identified in the Members’ Allowances Scheme, in order to achieve the full amount of each allowance as soon as possible.

Independent Members - Annual Allowance

The Panel considered comments submitted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10