Issue - decisions

Members Allowances Independent Remuneration Panel

06/02/2024 - Members Allowances Independent Remuneration Panel

The Council considered the report of the Assistant Director - Legal & Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer which presented the final report and recommendations of the Members Allowance Independent Remuneration Panel which had been reconvened to review the current scheme given the increase in the number of Portfolio Holders.

 

During their review, the Panel also considered the special responsibility allowance made to the Leader of the Main Opposition Group, the current childcare and dependents carers’ allowance and the wording of the scheme in respect of the payment of allowances to Leaders of Minority Opposition Groups.

 

The Panel report was attached as Appendix A, and this had been considered at the Audit & Governance Committee meeting held on 27 September 2023. The points raised by the Committee and the response of the Panel were detailed in Section 2 of the report.

 

The panel report recommended that the existing SRA of £8,500 be paid to all Cabinet Members with portfolio (excluding Leader and Deputy Leader) with no changes to any other Special Responsibility Allowances. In addition, the report proposed changes to the wording of the scheme in respect to the limit on the number of special responsibility allowances payable and clarified the definition of Opposition Group Leaders. The report also recommended that the current rates payable for childcare and dependent carers’ allowances were increased from up to £10 per hour to a maximum level of the National Living Wage.

 

AGREED      (with 20 votes for and 14 against) that the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel on changes to the current scheme of Members Allowances as set out in their report, be approved.

 

In accordance with Rule 5.4 a recorded vote was requested and taken as follows:

 

Councillor

Vote

Neil Allen

Against

Adrian Amer

For

Alice Brazier

For

Lee Brazier

For

Celia Brooks

For

Irene Brown

Against

Rowan Cozens

For

Susan Crosby

For

Linda Dales

Against

Phil Farmer

Against

Simon Forde

For

Andy Freeman

For

Jean Hall

For

Peter Harris

For

Simon Haynes

Against

Rhona Holloway

Against

Roger Jackson

Against

Jack Kellas

Against

Johno Lee

Against

Keith Melton

For

Sylvia Michael

Against

David Moore

For

Emma Oldham

For

Paul Peacock

For

Claire Penny

For

Mike Pringle

For

Penny Rainbow

Against

Karen Roberts

For

Neil Ross

For

Susan Saddington

Against

Maurice Shakeshaft

For

Tom Smith

Against

Matthew Spoors

For

Tim Wendels

Against