ITEM 130: members’ allowances

NOTE FROM THE MONITORING OFFICER

Section 19 of the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 provides that, before the Council makes or amends a scheme, the authority shall have regard to the recommendations made in relation to it by an independent remuneration panel. It is therefore important that, whatever they decide, Members take the recommendations of the Panel into account.

As the recommendations of the Panel are not contained in a separate report and the recommendations coming to Council have been amended by Policy & Resources Committee, it is important for Members to demonstrate that they have had regard to the recommendations of the Panel. Members attention is therefore drawn to the original recommendations of the panel on page 182 of the agenda, which are summarised below for ease of reference.

2.1 The Scheme is revised to reflect that where a Member holds a role on a job share basis they are entitled to claim a 50% allowance for that role and that a maximum of two of two job share roles can be claimed for on this basis.

2.2 The Scheme is revised to make clear that a 50% allowance can be claimed for a job share Deputy Leader role in addition to a 50% allowance for a Chair of a policy committee role (which is a presumption in the Scheme and the chairing may be full time or a shared role.)

2.3 The revised Scheme as attached at Appendix 1 be agreed.

2.4 The payments for those Councillors whose responsibilities meet the criteria under the revised Scheme are backdated to the date they were appointed.

2.5 Full Council notes the comments of the IRP regarding their encouragement to the Council to consider further information being shared regarding the nature and practical implementation of job share roles for Councillors.

2.6 The Members Allowances Scheme be revised to remove Hove Town Hall as a named car park to which the reimbursement of passes is applicable, as described in Appendix 1.

2.7 That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make any necessary amendments to the Scheme for Members’ Allowances to reflect the changes set out in paragraphs 2.1 to 2.7 above.

Recommendation: Members are recommended to note the recommendations of the IRP and have regard to them before making a decision

Abraham Ghebre-Ghiorghis

Monitoring Officer