Agenda item

Report of Assistant Director Law and Governance.

Purpose of report

To determine the levels of the allowances to be paid to Members for the forthcoming 2024/2025 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

Council resolves to:

 1.1         Consider the levels of allowances to be included in the 2024/2025 Members’ Allowances Scheme, and whether the Panel’s recommendations (as set out at paragraph 2.0 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 2024.

1.3      Authorise the Assistant Director of Law and Governance to take all necessary action to revoke the current (2023/2024) 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 2024/2025 capped at a maximum of £1200 per person, which can be funded from existing budgets.

Resolved

(1)          That having given due consideration, the following levels of allowances be included in the 2024/2025 Members’ Allowances Scheme:

·         That the Basic Allowance (currently £4836 pa)be increased in in line with the 2024/2025 staff pay award (percentage) when agreed, rounded up to give 12 equal payments and payment of the increase backdated to 1 April 2024.

·         That all Special Responsibility Allowances be increased in in line with the 2024/2025 staff pay award (percentage) when agreed, rounded up to give 12 equal payments and payment of the increase backdated to 1 April 2024.

·         That A new Special Responsibility Allowance be introduced for Minority Opposition Group Leaders from April 1 2024, based on the following criteria:

o   Group Leader of a minority opposition Group with 2 – 5 Members: 25% of the Main Opposition Group Leader SRA (if required, rounded up to 12 equal payments)

o   Group Leader of a minority opposition Group with 6 or more members: 50% of the Main Opposition Group Leader SRA (if required, rounded up to 12 equal payments)

·         That the co-optees allowance be increased in line with the staff pay award for 2024/2025 (percentage), when agreed, and rounded up to give 12 equal payments and payment of the increase backdated to 1 April 2024.

·         That the Independent Persons allowance be increased in line with the staff pay award for 2024/2025 (percentage), when agreed, and rounded up to give 12 equal payments, and payment of the increase backdated to 1 April 2024.

·         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, subject to production of receipts and cannot be paid to a member of the claimant’s household:

o   Childcare: £10 per hour

o   Dependent Relative care - £20 per hour

·         That 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 effective from the date of implementation by HMRC.

·         That there be no change to subsistence allowances.

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

·         That there be no change to the list of approved duties for which claims may be made.

·         That Non-Executive Director allowances be increased in line with the staff pay award for 2024/205, rounded up to give 12 equal payments, and payment of the increase backdated to 1 April 2024 and costs recharged to the relevant company.

(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 2024.

(3)          That the Assistant Director of Law and Governance be authorised to take all necessary action to revoke the current (2023/2024) 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 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 2024/2025 capped at a maximum of £1200 per person, which can be funded from existing budgets.