Agenda item

Report of Director of Law and Governance

Purpose of report

To determine the levels of the allowances to be paid to Members for the forthcoming 2022/2023 financial year and proposed changes to the Members Allowance Scheme following the consideration of the report of the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) attached at Appendix 1.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

 1.1        Consider the levels of allowances to be included in the 2022/2023 Members’ Allowances Scheme, and whether the Panel’s recommendations (as set out at paragraphs 3.1 of this report and sections 7.3, 8.4, 9.1 and 10.3 of Appendix 1) should be adopted or modified in any way.

1.2       Consider the proposed amendments to the Members Allowance Scheme regarding the introduction of an IT allowance (as set out at paragraph 3.9 of this report and section 14.9 of the Panel’s Report, attached at Appendix 1) and whether the Panel’s recommendations should be adopted or modified in any way.

1.3       Authorise the Director of Law and Governance to prepare an amended Members’ Allowances Scheme, in accordance with the decisions of Council for implementation with effect from 1 April 2022.

1.4       Authorise the Director of Law and Governance to take all necessary action to revoke the current (2021/2022) Scheme and to publicise the revised Scheme pursuant to The Local Authorities (Member’s Allowances)(England) Regulations 2003 (as amended).

1.5       Thank the Independent Remuneration Panel for its report and set a fee of £300 for each Panel Member for the work carried out on this review and propose the same level of fee for any reviews carried out in 2022/2023 capped at a maximum of £1200 per person, which can be funded from existing budgets.

Resolved

(1)          That, having given due consideration to the levels of allowances to be included in the 2022/2023 Members’ Allowances Scheme, the Independent Remuneration Panel’s recommendations, as set out below, be adopted:

·         The Basic Allowance to be increased in line with the  staff cost of living increase rounded up or down, whichever is closest, to give 12 equal payments, and payment of the increase backdated to the beginning of the financial year 2022/2023, 1 April 2022, should a settlement not be agreed before that date.

·         All Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) to be increased in line with the  staff cost of living increase rounded up or down, whichever is closest, to give 12 equal payments, and payment of the increase backdated to the beginning of the financial year 2022/2023, 1 April 2022, should a settlement not be agreed before that date.

·         All co-optee and Independent Persons Allowances to be increased in line with the  staff cost of living increase rounded up or down, whichever is closest, to give 12 equal payments, and payment of the increase backdated to the beginning of the financial year 2022/2023, 1 April 2022, should a settlement not be agreed before that date.

·         The Dependant Carers’ allowance be frozen and remain at the current level of £20 per hour and claims capped at 40 hours per month.

·         The Childcare allowance be frozen and remain at the current level of £10 per hour and claims capped at 40 hours per month.

·         There be no change to Travelling and Subsistence Allowances

o   Bicycles: 20p per mile

o   Motorcycles: 24p per mile

o   Motor vehicles including electric vehicles: 45p per mile

o   Breakfast allowance: £6.02 per meal

o   Lunch allowance: £8.31 per meal

o   Evening meal allowance: £10.29 per meal

·         The Democratic Services Team to book overnight accommodation.

·         Non-Executive Director allowances to be increased in line with the  staff cost of living increase rounded up or down, whichever is closest, to give 12 equal payments, and payment of the increase backdated to the beginning of the financial year 2022/2023, 1 April 2022, should a settlement not be agreed before that date and expenses paid at the same levels as district councillors and recharged to the relevant company

(2)          That, having given due consideration to the recommendation of the Independent Remuneration Panel regarding the introduction of an IT allowance, consideration of this proposed amendment to the Members’ Allowance Scheme be deferred and officers be requested to undertake further work to evaluate options, in light of the decision to terminate the s113 Agreement with Oxfordshire County Council and report back to Council for consideration.

(3)          That the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to prepare an amended Members’ Allowances Scheme, in accordance with the decisions of Council for implementation with effect from 1 April 2022.

(4)          That the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to take all necessary action to revoke the current (2021/2022) Scheme and to publicise the revised Scheme pursuant to The Local Authorities (Member’s Allowances)(England) Regulations 2003 (as amended).

(5)          That the Independent Remuneration Panel be thanked for its report and a fee of £300 be set for each Panel Member for the work carried out on this review and propose the same level of fee for any reviews carried out in 2022/2023 capped at a maximum of £1200 per person, which can be funded from existing budgets.

The Director of Law and Governance submitted a report to determine the levels of the allowances to be paid to Members for the forthcoming 2022/2023 financial year and proposed changes to the Members Allowance Scheme following the consideration of the report of the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel (the “Panel”).

In introducing the report, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Wood, thanked the Panel for their hard work and diligence reviewing the allowances and submitting their report.

With regards recommendation 1.2, regarding the introduction of an IT allowance, Councillor Wood proposed that consideration of this amendment to the Members’ Allowance Scheme be deferred and officers be requested to undertake further work to evaluate options, in light of the decision to terminate the s113 Agreement with Oxfordshire County Council and report back to Council for consideration. The amendment to recommendation 1.2 was seconded by Councillor Ilott and on being put to the vote was carried.

Resolved

(1)          That, having given due consideration to the levels of allowances to be included in the 2022/2023 Members’ Allowances Scheme, the Independent Remuneration Panel’s recommendations, as set out below, be adopted:

·         The Basic Allowance to be increased in line with the  staff cost of living increase rounded up or down, whichever is closest, to give 12 equal payments, and payment of the increase backdated to the beginning of the financial year 2022/2023, 1 April 2022, should a settlement not be agreed before that date.

·         All Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) to be increased in line with the  staff cost of living increase rounded up or down, whichever is closest, to give 12 equal payments, and payment of the increase backdated to the beginning of the financial year 2022/2023, 1 April 2022, should a settlement not be agreed before that date.

·         All co-optee and Independent Persons Allowances to be increased in line with the  staff cost of living increase rounded up or down, whichever is closest, to give 12 equal payments, and payment of the increase backdated to the beginning of the financial year 2022/2023, 1 April 2022, should a settlement not be agreed before that date.

·         The Dependant Carers’ allowance be frozen and remain at the current level of £20 per hour and claims capped at 40 hours per month.

·         The Childcare allowance be frozen and remain at the current level of £10 per hour and claims capped at 40 hours per month.

·         There be no change to Travelling and Subsistence Allowances

o   Bicycles: 20p per mile

o   Motorcycles: 24p per mile

o   Motor vehicles including electric vehicles: 45p per mile

o   Breakfast allowance: £6.02 per meal

o   Lunch allowance: £8.31 per meal

o   Evening meal allowance: £10.29 per meal

·         The Democratic Services Team to book overnight accommodation.

·         Non-Executive Director allowances to be increased in line with the  staff cost of living increase rounded up or down, whichever is closest, to give 12 equal payments, and payment of the increase backdated to the beginning of the financial year 2022/2023, 1 April 2022, should a settlement not be agreed before that date and expenses paid at the same levels as district councillors and recharged to the relevant company

(2)          That, having given due consideration to the recommendation of the Independent Remuneration Panel regarding the introduction of an IT allowance, consideration of this proposed amendment to the Members’ Allowance Scheme be deferred and officers be requested to undertake further work to evaluate options, in light of the decision to terminate the s113 Agreement with Oxfordshire County Council and report back to Council for consideration.

(3)          That the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to prepare an amended Members’ Allowances Scheme, in accordance with the decisions of Council for implementation with effect from 1 April 2022.

(4)          That the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to take all necessary action to revoke the current (2021/2022) Scheme and to publicise the revised Scheme pursuant to The Local Authorities (Member’s Allowances)(England) Regulations 2003 (as amended).

(5)          That the Independent Remuneration Panel be thanked for its report and a fee of £300 be set for each Panel Member for the work carried out on this review and propose the same level of fee for any reviews carried out in 2022/2023 capped at a maximum of £1200 per person, which can be funded from existing budgets.