Issue - items at meetings - Independent Remuneration Panel Report

Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel (copy attached).

RESOLVED –

(1)         That the Governance Committee recommends to Full Council that, in view of the current economic climate, the current Members’ Allowances Scheme be retained and adopted for the 2011/12 municipal year, with effect from the 20 May 2011.

(2)         That the Governance Committee recommends to Full Council that the Panel’s report be noted and a subsequent report be brought before this committee and Full Council later in 2011/12 when the outcome of the Localism Bill is known and further review has been undertaken.

58.1         The Committee considered a report of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) concerning the Members’ Allowance Scheme for 2011/12.

58.2         Councillor Kitcat praised the IRP for the extensive work that went into the previous review and expressed disappointment that the Council had not agreed that report in October 2010. He moved an amendment requesting that the Committee adopt the IRP’s previous report for the 2011/12 municipal year, resulting in a budget saving of 18,000.

58.3         Councillor Davey formally seconded the amendment.

58.4         The Chairman thanked the IRP for their work on the review and invited Simon Keane, Chairman of the IRP to introduce the report.

58.5         Mr Keane explained that the panel had produced a shorter report than usual given that the last report had been considered only three months prior. The report noted and acknowledged the concerns raised by Members in relation to the previous report; the panel had concluded that a holding report was appropriate at the current time and that a more detailed review would take place later in the year. The panel always welcomed comments from Members and had addressed concerns in relation to the childcare allowance in the report.

58.6         Councillor Mitchell praised the work of the IRP and stated that Members had adequate opportunity to make representations to the panel. She thanked the panel for reflecting her comments within the report. She stated that the report identified a saving of ?18,080 and queried the basis for the additional ?18,000 saving identified in the Green Group amendment.

58.7         Councillor Morgan commented that proposals to review the Overview & Scrutiny arrangements would have a significant impact on the Members’ Allowances scheme and that it was appropriate to maintain the existing scheme until such changes were implemented.

58.8         Councillor Mears thanked the IRP for acknowledging Members’ concerns and producing a balanced report that took account of the range of proposals that could affect the council in coming months. She added that the panel’s previous report had been debated fully at Full Council and that the decision made there should be noted.

58.9         Councillor Elgood commented that the Members’ Allowances should be a matter for the new Council following the local elections in May and that it was necessary to be mindful of the impact of a return to the committee system. He added that he could not make a decision on the Green Group amendment without a copy of the IRP’s previous report, which was not part of the agenda.

58.10    Councillor Kitcat advised that the £18,000 saving identified within the amendment had been costed by finance officers and was in addition to the savings identified in the report before the Committee. He stated that the IRP’s previous report had disagreed with Members’ comments about Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) and that changes that may be implemented in the future should not prevent the review of allowances now.

58.11    The Chairman advised that significant changes were not a long way off; work was already underway in relation to a revised Overview & Scrutiny structure and, although the current draft of the Localism Bill indicated that the council could not move to a committee system before 2015, there was still time for changes to be made. He stated that the IRP’s previous report had not been agreed by the Council because a consensus could not be reached and added that an increase to the basic allowance would have been implemented if the report had been agreed, instead of maintaining it at the existing level.

58.12    Councillor Mears added that the report before the committee did include some changes and also stated that other comments would be considered when a more detailed review took place.

58.13    The Chairman put the Green amendment to the vote, which was lost.

58.14    In putting the recommendations within the report to the vote, the Chairman stated that an amendment to both recommendations was required in order to ensure that the report was referred to the Full Council for the final decision to be made.

58.15    RESOLVED –

(1)         That the Governance Committee recommends to Full Council that, in view of the current economic climate, the current Members’ Allowances Scheme be retained and adopted for the 2011/12 municipal year, with effect from the 20 May 2011.

(2)         That the Governance Committee recommends to Full Council That the Panel’s report be noted and a subsequent report be brought before this committee and Full Council later in 2011/12 when the outcome of the Localism Bill is known and further review has been undertaken.