Agenda item

(a)           Members’ Allowances Scheme – Independent Remuneration Panel Report

Members were informed that the County Council was required to establish and maintain an Independent Remuneration Panel to provide advice and recommendations to the Council on its Members’ Allowances Scheme. Any decision on the nature and level of allowances was a matter for the full Council, but the Council must have regard to any recommendations submitted by the Independent Remuneration Panel before establishing or amending the 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.

The Council, at its meeting on 21 March 2019, considered the Independent Remuneration Panel report of March 2019 and resolved that “The Council does not accept at this moment in time their recommendation for an increase in overall allowances of 2% in line with the NJC pay award to staff.” It was also resolved that “The Council also feels in a time of change, that the recommendations of the Panel to make changes to the levels of remuneration be deferred for further consideration later this year, as the recommendations do not reflect the future ongoing developing roles of Members.”

Mr Tittley moved consideration of the following recommendations contained in the Panel’s report:

(i) That, in line with normal practice, the level of allowances be increased by 2% in line with the employee pay award for 2018-19.

(ii) That the three opposition leads supporting Select Committees be more formally recognised through the creation of three Opposition Select Committee Vice-Chairman from the single Shadow Cabinet SRA together with the Opposition Deputy Leader formally taking the Opposition Select Committee Vice-Chairmanship of the Corporate Review Select Committee.

(c) That the Chairman of the County Council, in consultation with the Leader of the County Council, be authorised to increase the allowance paid to the Vice-Chairmen of Committees to the level of the corresponding Chairman’s allowance if they are required to take on the responsibilities of the Chairman for a sustained period and, in those circumstances, the Chairman’s allowance will cease for the duration of their absence.

Mrs Woodward indicated that she was in full support of “(ii)” above as it recognised the input of the lead opposition members in respect of the Council’s scrutiny function.

Following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED – (a) That the recommendation of the Independent Remuneration Panel that, in line with normal practice, the level of allowances be increased by 2% in line with the employee pay award for 2018-19, be agreed and be implemented with immediate effect.

(b) That the recommendation of the Independent Remuneration Panel that the three opposition leads supporting Select Committees be more formally recognised through the creation of three Opposition Select Committee Vice-Chairman from the single Shadow Cabinet SRA together with the Opposition Deputy Leader formally taking the Opposition Select Committee Vice-Chairmanship of the Corporate Review Select Committee be agreed and that the Council’s Constitution be amended to include the provision of a Shadow Select Committee Vice-Chairman.

(c) That the recommendation of the Independent Remuneration Panel that the Chairman of the County Council, in consultation with the Leader of the County Council, be authorised to increase the allowance paid to the Vice-Chairmen of Committees to the level of the corresponding Chairman’s allowance if they are required to take on the responsibilities of the Chairman for a sustained period and, in those circumstances, the Chairman’s allowance will cease for the duration of their absence, be agreed and that the Council’s Constitution be amended accordingly.

Note by Clerk: It is uncertain as to whether the Panel’s report was adopted in full in addition to the specific resolutions minuted so the next full Council meeting in October will be asked to clarify the position.

(b)           Independent Remuneration Panel - Appointment

The Council were informed that, at the County Council meeting held on 21 March 2019, it was agreed “That the Audit and Standards Committee be requested to carry out a further recruitment process for the Independent Remuneration Panel as soon as possible” so as to increase the Panel’s Membership from three to five. This process had recently been completed and the Special Panel of the Audit and Standards Committee recommended to the Council that Mr William Read and Mr Anthony Styles be appointed to the Independent Remuneration Panel for a period of four years ending 31 March 2023.

Mr Tittley also paid tribute to the contribution made by the outgoing members of the Panel, Mr Les Trigg and Mr Tom Roach.

RESOLVED – That the recommendation of the Special Panel of the Audit and Standards Committee to appoint Mr William Read and Mr Anthony Styles to the Independent Remuneration Panel for a period of four years ending 31 March 2023 be approved.