Agenda item

Report of Assistant Director Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer

Purpose of report

To determine the levels of the allowances to be paid to Members for the forthcoming 2023/2024 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”) attached at Appendix 1.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1         Consider the levels of allowances to be included in the 2023/2024 Members’ Allowances Scheme, and whether the Panel’s recommendations (as set out at paragraph 3.1 of this report and Appendix 1) should be adopted or modified in any way.

1.2         Authorise the Assistant Director Law and Governance to prepare an amended Members’ Allowances Scheme, in accordance with the decisions of Council for implementation with effect from 1 April 2023.

1.3         Authorise the Assistant Director of Law and Governance to take all necessary action to revoke the current (2022/2023) Scheme and to publicise the revised Scheme pursuant to The Local Authorities (Member’s Allowances)(England) Regulations 2003 (as amended).

1.4         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 2023/2024 capped at a maximum of £1200 per person, which can be funded from existing budgets.

Resolved

(1)          That, having given due consideration, the Independent Remuneration Panel’s recommendations be adopted and the following levels of allowances to be included in the 2023/2024 Members’ Allowance Scheme be agreed:

·         The Basic Allowance be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award,  for 2023/2024, rounded up to give 12 equal payments, £4836.

·         A Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) for the Chairman of the Council be introduced at the same rate as the Basic Allowance at £4704, backdated to  18 May 2022 (the date the current Council Chairman took up office) and that this replace the current £2000 civic allowance. 

·         The Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) for the Chairman of the Council be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award, for 2023/2024, rounded up, to give 12 equal payments, £4836.

·         The respective Leader and Deputy Leader Special Responsibility Allowances be combined with the Special Responsibility Allowance to Executive Members holding a portfolio, to become a single Special Responsibility Allowance for each role. There is no change to the SRAs paid, rather the change ensures greater transparency.

·         The Special Responsibility Allowances for the Leader, Deputy Leader, Executive Members holding a Portfolio, Leader of the Opposition, Chairman of Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee, Chairman of Budget Planning Committee, Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Chairman of Planning Committee be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award,  for 2023/2024, rounded up to give 12 equal payments.

o   Leader of the Council: £15,408

o   Deputy Leader of the Council: £9936

o   Executive Members holding a Portfolio: £7188

o   Leader of the Opposition: £3324

o   Chairman of the Accounts, Audit & Risk Committee: £3996

o   Chairman of Budget Planning Committee: £3996

o   Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee: £3996

o   Chairman of Planning Committee: £4788

·         The current arrangement for ad-hoc Special Responsibility Allowance payments to the Chairmen of the  Licensing Committee, Personnel Committee and Standards Committee end and fixed Special Responsibility Allowances be paid  to reflect that these committees now have scheduled meetings (2 each for Licensing Committee and Standards Committee and 4 for Personnel Committee). As the fixed SRA was based on 2022/2023 allowance levels, the SRAs be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award, for 2023/2024, rounded up, to give 12 equal payments:

o   Chairman of Licensing Committee: £852

o   Chairman of Personnel Committee: £1428

o   Chairman of Standards Committee: £852

·         there be no change to arrangements for Special Responsibility Allowance arrangements for the Appeals Panel Chairman as the Appeals Panel will continue to meet on an ad-hoc basis. The Allowance be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award, for 2023/2024, rounded up, to give 12 equal payments: £288 Special Responsibility Allowance plus £288 per meeting to a capped limit of £1728 per annum

·         Introduction of  a cap on the number of Special Responsibility Allowances paid to an individual councillor for the exceptional case that a councillor occupies two or more positions qualifying for an SRA, and that the limit be a maximum of two Special Responsibility Allowances be paid to one councillor at any one time.

·         That the Co-optee and Independent Person Allowance be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award, for 2023/2024, rounded up, to give 12 equal payments and that the roles be separated within the Members’ Allowance Scheme:

o   Co-optee: £828

o   Independent Person: £828

·         The Dependents’ Carers’ and Childcare Allowances remain at the current level, paid on the basis of the actual costs incurred up to the maximum hourly rate set out below and to a maximum cap of 40 hours per month and are subject to the submission of receipts, with the restriction extended so neither allowance can be paid to a member of the claimant’s household.

o   Childcare: £10 per hour

o   Dependent Carer: £20 per hour

·         Mileage remain at the current level in line with HMRC approved mileage rates and if any adjustments are implemented by HMRC then the revised rates should be applied to Members travel allowances at the date of implementation by HMRC.

o   Bicycles: 20p per mile

o   Motorcycles: 20p per mile

o   Motor vehicles: 45p per mile

o   Electric or similar specialised vehicles: 45p per mile

·         There be no change to the subsistence allowances payable up to the following maximum amounts:

o   Breakfast allowance ((more than 4 hours away from the normal place of residence before 11am): £6.02  

o   Lunch Allowance (more than 4 hours away from the normal place of residence including the lunchtime between 12noon and 2pm): £8.31

o   Evening Meal Allowance (more than 4 hours away from the normal place of residence ending after 7pm): £10.29

·         Democratic Services continue to book overnight accommodation, if required.

·         No change to the list of approved duties be made at this time but the Assistant Director Law and Governance be requested to seeks details from Members of attendance at Parish Council meetings as part of the next review of Members’ Allowances for further consideration for potential inclusion in the list of approved duties.

·         Non-Executive Director Allowances be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award, for 2023/2024, rounded up, to give 12 equal payments and that expenses be paid at the same levels as elected Members and costs recharged to the relevant company: £4788

(2)          That the Assistant Director 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 2023.

(3)          That  the Assistant Director Law and Governance be authorised to take all necessary action to revoke the current (2022/2023) Scheme and to publicise the revised Scheme pursuant to The Local Authorities (Member’s Allowances)(England) Regulations 2003 (as amended).

(4)          That the Independent Remuneration Panel be thanked 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 2023/2024 capped at a maximum of £1200 per person, which can be funded from existing budgets.

The Assistant Director Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer submitted a report to determine the levels of the allowances to be paid to Members for the forthcoming 2023/2024 financial year and proposed changes to the Members Allowance Scheme following the consideration of the report of the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel.

Resolved

(1)          That, having given due consideration, the Independent Remuneration Panel’s recommendations be adopted and the following levels of allowances to be included in the 2023/2024 Members’ Allowance Scheme be agreed:

·         That the Basic Allowance be increased by 2.75% in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award for 2023/2024 & rounded up to give 12 equal payments.

o   Basic Allowance - £4836

·         That, a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) for the Chairman of the Council be introduced at the same rate as the basic allowance at £4704, backdated to 18 May 2022 (the date the current Council Chairman took up office) and that this replaces the current £2000 civic allowance and that this SRA be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award, for 2023/2024, rounded up, to give 12 equal payments.

o   Chairman of the Council - £4836

·         That the respective Leader and Deputy Leader Special Responsibility Allowances be combined with the Special Responsibility Allowance to Executive Members holding a portfolio, to become a single Special Responsibility Allowance for each role and it be noted that there is no change to the SRAs paid, rather the change ensures greater transparency.

·         That Special Responsibility Allowances for the Leader, Deputy Leader, Executive Members holding a Portfolio, Leader of the Opposition, Chairman of Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee, Chairman of Budget Planning Committee, Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Chairman of Planning Committee be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award, for 2023/2024, rounded up to give 12 equal payments.

o   Leader of the Council - £15,408

o   Deputy Leader of the Council - £9936

o   Executive Members Holding a Portfolio - £7188

o   Leader of the Opposition - £3324

o   Chairman of the Accounts, Audit & Risk Committee - £3996

o   Chairman of the Budget Planning Committee - £3996

o   Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee - £3996

o   Chairman of the Planning Committee - £4788

·         That the current arrangement for ad-hoc Special Responsibility Allowance payments to the Chairmen of the  Licensing Committee, Personnel Committee and Standards Committee end and that fixed Special Responsibility Allowances be paid  to reflect that these committees now have scheduled meetings (2 each for Licensing Committee and Standards Committee and 4 for Personnel Committee) and it be agreed that, as the fixed SRA was based on 2022/2023 allowance levels, the SRAs be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award, for 2023/2024, rounded up, to give 12 equal payments.

o   Chairman of the Licensing Committee - £852

o   Chairman of the Personnel Committee - £1428

o   Chairman of the Standards Committee - £852

·         That, as the Appeals Panel will continue to meet on an ad-hoc basis, there be no change to arrangements for Special Responsibility Allowance arrangements for the Appeals Panel Chairman, but the Allowance be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award, for 2023/2024, rounded up, to give 12 equal payments:

o   Chairman of the Appeals Panel - £288 SRA plus £288 per meeting to a capped limit of £1728

·         That a cap on the number of Special Responsibility Allowances paid to an individual councillor be introduced for the exceptional case that a councillor occupies two or more positions qualifying for an SRA, and that the limit be a maximum of two Special Responsibility Allowances be paid to one councillor at any one time.

·         That the Co-optee and Independent Person Allowance be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award, for 2023/2024, rounded up, to give 12 equal payments and that the roles be separated within the Members’ Allowance Scheme:

o   Co-optee Allowance - £828

o   Independent Persons Allowance - £828

·         That Dependents’ Carers’ and Childcare Allowances remain at the current level, are paid on the basis of the actual costs incurred up to the maximum hourly rate set out below and to a maximum cap of 40 hours per month and are subject to the submission of receipts, with the restriction extended so neither allowance can be paid to a member of the claimant’s household.

o   Childcare £10 per hour

o   Dependent relative care £20 per hour

·         That mileage remains at the current level in line with HMRC approved mileage rates and if any adjustments are implemented by HMRC then the revised rates should be applied to Members travel allowances at the date of implementation by HMRC.

o   Bicycles 20p per mile

o   Motorcycles 24p per mile

o   Motor vehicles 45p per mile

o   Electric or specialised vehicles 45p per mile

·         That there be no change to the subsistence allowances payable up to the maximum amount:

o   Breakfast allowance £6.02

o   Lunch allowance £8.31

o   Evening allowance £10.29

·         That Democratic Services continue to book overnight accommodation, if required.

·         That no change to the list of approved duties be made at this time but the Assistant Director Law and Governance be requested to seeks details from Members of attendance at Parish Council meetings as part of the next review of Members’ Allowances for further consideration for potential inclusion in the list of approved duties.

·         That Non-Executive Director Allowances be increased by 2.75%, in line with the agreed staff cost of living pay award, for 2023/2024, rounded up, to give 12 equal payments and that expenses be paid at the same levels set out at (j), (k) and (l) above and costs recharged to the relevant company:

o   Non-Executive Directors Graven Hill Village Holding Company Limited - £4788

(2)          That the Assistant Director 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 2023.

(3)          That  the Assistant Director Law and Governance be authorised to take all necessary action to revoke the current (2022/2023) Scheme and to publicise the revised Scheme pursuant to The Local Authorities (Member’s Allowances)(England) Regulations 2003 (as amended).

(4)          That the Independent Remuneration Panel be thanked 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 2023/2024 capped at a maximum of £1200 per person, which can be funded from existing budgets.