The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report setting out the recommendations of the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) and a Draft Councillors’ Allowances Scheme for 2019-23.

The report, proposed scheme, and IRP report are attached.

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of the Council, will present the report.

Recommendations: That Council resolves to:

1.    Thank the Independent Remuneration Panel for their work.

2.    Agree to include in the Councillors’ Allowances Scheme 2019-23 the following provisions from the Councillors’ Allowances Scheme 2015-19, as recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel:

a)     A basic allowance payable to all councillors of £5079 in 2019-20;

b)     Indexation of the basic allowance in accordance with the annual percentage uplifts provided for in the local pay deal for council employees;

c)      The following Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs):

i.    Leader - 3 x basic allowance (£15,237)

ii.   Deputy Leader – 1 x basic allowance (£5,079)

iii.  Non-statutory Deputy Leader - 1 x basic allowance (£5,079)

iv.  Lord Mayor –1 x Basic Allowance (£5,079)

v.   Deputy Lord Mayor – 0.25 x basic allowance (£1,270)

vi.  Sheriff - 0.25 x Basic Allowance (£1,270)

vii. Board Members with particular responsibilities – 1.5 x basic allowance (£7,619)

viii.            Board Members without particular responsibilities – 0.5 x basic allowance (£2,540)

ix.  Chair of Scrutiny Committee – 1x basic allowance (£5,079)

x.   Chair of Audit & Governance Committee – 0.25 x basic allowance (£1,270)

xi.  Chair of Scrutiny Panel – 0.25 x basic allowance (£1,270) (Panel must meet at least 5 times to qualify. A maximum of 2 SRAs will be available (£2,508) to be shared by the Chairs of the qualifying Standing Panels)

xii.Opposition Group Leader – 1 x basic allowance (£5,079) to be shared between the group leaders equally;

d)    The rule that councillors will receive a maximum of two special responsibility allowances (excluding civic office holders);

e)    The rule that where a member of the Council is also a member of another council, that councillor may not receive allowances from more than one council in respect of the same duties;

f)     The rule that a 15% reduction to a special responsibility allowance will be applied for councillors who attend less than two thirds of the scheduled meetings required within a special responsibility, with the additional clarifications explained in paragraphs 14-16.

g)    No allowances to be paid to co-opted members;

h)   The ability for councillors to elect to forgo any part of their entitlement to an allowance;

i)     The rule that where allowances have been paid in advance for a period during which a councillor is no longer a councillor, those allowances should be repaid;

j)      Allowances for maternity or adoption leave, with the additional clarifications explained in paragraph 17;

k)    Allowances for child and other dependants’ care subject to a maximum of £1,000 per councillor per year (which can be increased by the Head of Law and Governance in special circumstances), with the additional clause explained in paragraph 18;

l)     Allowances for travel to be paid for  ...  view the full agenda text for item 73

Councillor Goddard arrived at the start of this item.

Council considered a report of the Head of Law and Governance setting out the recommendations of the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) and a Draft Councillors’ Allowances Scheme for 2019-23, to come into effect on 1 April 2019

Councillor Brown, Leader of the Council, presented the report and moved the recommendations.

Councillor Gant proposed an amendment to remove the allowance for the second deputy leader at 2(c)(iii) and make consequential changes to the scheme. On being seconded and put to the vote, the amendment was not agreed.

The recommendations in the report were agreed without change on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

1.    Thank the Independent Remuneration Panel for their work.

2.    Agree to include in the Councillors’ Allowances Scheme 2019-23 the following provisions from the Councillors’ Allowances Scheme 2015-19, as recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel:

a)     A basic allowance payable to all councillors of £5079 in 2019-20;

b)     Indexation of the basic allowance in accordance with the annual percentage uplifts provided for in the local pay deal for council employees;

c)      The following Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs):

i.    Leader - 3 x basic allowance (£15,237)

ii.   Deputy Leader – 1 x basic allowance (£5,079)

iii.  Non-statutory Deputy Leader - 1 x basic allowance (£5,079)

iv.  Lord Mayor –1 x Basic Allowance (£5,079)

v.   Deputy Lord Mayor – 0.25 x basic allowance (£1,270)

vi.  Sheriff - 0.25 x Basic Allowance (£1,270)

vii. Board Members with particular responsibilities – 1.5 x basic allowance (£7,619)

viii.            Board Members without particular responsibilities – 0.5 x basic allowance (£2,540)

ix.  Chair of Scrutiny Committee – 1x basic allowance (£5,079)

x.   Chair of Audit & Governance Committee – 0.25 x basic allowance (£1,270)

xi.  Chair of Scrutiny Panel – 0.25 x basic allowance (£1,270) (Panel must meet at least 5 times to qualify. A maximum of 2 SRAs will be available (£2,508) to be shared by the Chairs of the qualifying Standing Panels)

xii. Opposition Group Leader – 1 x basic allowance (£5,079) to be shared between the group leaders equally;

d)    The rule that councillors will receive a maximum of two special responsibility allowances (excluding civic office holders);

e)    The rule that where a member of the Council is also a member of another council, that councillor may not receive allowances from more than one council in respect of the same duties;

f)     The rule that a 15% reduction to a special responsibility allowance will be applied for councillors who attend less than two thirds of the scheduled meetings required within a special responsibility, with the additional clarifications explained in paragraphs 14-16.

g)    No allowances to be paid to co-opted members;

h)   The ability for councillors to elect to forgo any part of their entitlement to an allowance;

i)     The rule that where allowances have been paid in advance for a period during which a councillor is no longer a councillor, those allowances should be repaid;

j)      Allowances for maternity  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73