Agenda item

Members were informed that the County Council was required to establish and maintain an Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) of between three and five members to provide advice and recommendations to the Council on its Members’ Allowances Scheme. The Panel met each year to consider the recommendations to be made to the Council in respect of the level and nature of the forthcoming year’s allowances. 

At the County Council meeting held on 22 July 2021, it was agreed “That, if required, the Audit and Standards Committee be requested to carry out a recruitment exercise for IRP members in 2022”. As of 1 April 2022, there were two members on the Panel and therefore a recruitment exercise was necessary.  This process had recently been completed and the Special Panel of the Audit and Standards Committee recommended that Ms Christina Robotham, Mr Eddie Barnett and Mr Adrian Bowen be appointed to the Independent Remuneration Panel for a period of four years ending 31 March 2026.

Members were also informed that the Council, at its meeting on 10 February 2022, agreed to instigate the recruitment process for the appointment of a Standards Independent Person(s) as required under the Localism Act 2011 and as part of the County Councils Procedures for dealing with complaints against elected members. The recruitment process involved the same Special Panel of the Audit and Standards Committee as referred to above.

Of four expressions of interest received, two were considered suitable for interview. One of those applicants was Mr Eddie Barnett who had a background in Policing and conflict resolution. Mr Barnett had already been interviewed by the Panel in respect of his proposed appointment to the IRP and, therefore, Members views on his appointment as a Standards IP were sought without a further formal interview. Panel members gave their unanimous support.

The second suitable applicant was Mrs Sue Charles who had a background in Pharmacy/NHS. She was a long time serving, much respected voluntary member of the County Councils School Admission Appeal Panels. In view of the high regard in which Mrs Charles was held the Special Panel members were consulted on the proposal to appoint her as a Standards IP without interview.  Again, Panel members gave their unanimous support.

The Standards IP appointments were for a four-year period. The appointment of Mr Barnett and Mrs Charles would give the County Council a strong pool of four Standards IPs with contrasting backgrounds and skills (Education, HR, Policing and NHS/Public Sector).

Cllr Trowbridge extended her thanks to Members of the Special Panel in respect of the work they had undertaken to select candidates and make recommendations on the appointment of Standards Independent Persons and to the IRP.

RESOLVED – (a) That the recommendation of the Special Panel of the Audit and Standards Committee to appoint Ms Christina Robotham, Mr Eddie Barnett and Mr Adrian Bowen to the Independent Remuneration Panel for a period of four years ending 31 March 2026 be approved.

(b) That the Council’s thanks be extended to retiring member, Mrs Annie Barrett, for her contribution on the Panel since 2018.

(c) That the Audit and Standards Committee be requested to carry out a recruitment exercise for IRP members in 2023.

(d) That the recommendation of the members of the Special Panel of the Audit and Standards Committee to appoint Mr Eddie Barnett and Mrs Sue Charles as Standards Independent Persons for a period of four years to May 2026 be approved.