Issue - items at meetings - Review of Members Allowances

Report of the Head of Law (copy attached).

(1)               That the Panel’s desire to undertake a full review of the Members Allowances Scheme be noted,

(2)               That the Council be recommended to adopt the existing Members Allowances Scheme for the payment of allowances in 2014/15, with effect from day after the Annual Council Meeting in May 2014;

(3)               That the Chief Executive be authorised to issue the Brighton & Hove Members’ Allowances Scheme in accordance with the regulations following council approval;

(4)               That the allowance payable to each of the members of the Independent Remuneration Panel be increased by 1% in line with the Public Sector Pay award with effect from 1 September 2013, in recognition of the time commitment and the role of the Panel.

91.1         The Head of Law introduced the report, which set out the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel in regard to the Members Allowances Scheme.  He noted that the Panel had indicated a desire to undertake a full review and to report back in 2014 on a scheme that could be adopted for 2015 and be applied for the full four-year term of the council, subject to an annual review.

91.2         The Chair noted the report and stated that he wished to place on record the Committee’s thanks to the Panel for their work.  However, in view of the current economic climate he wished to move a cross-party amendment to the recommendations so that the level of Basic Allowance remained unchanged and the current Members’ Allowances Scheme was adopted for the 2014/15 municipal year.  He also welcomed the Panel’s intention to put forward recommendations for a scheme that could be approved by the current council to be effective from the inception of the newly elected council in 2015 and run for the duration of that council.  He hoped that such a scheme would be one that would encourage people from all communities to consider standing as a councillor and would therefore reflect the level of commitment that was required.

91.3         Councillor Morgan agreed that in view of the budgetary constraints faced by the authority at this point in time that it is was not appropriate to approve an increase in allowances, albeit that it was below inflation and in-line with the public sector pay rise.  He was therefore happy to support the amendment, however; he also hoped that in regard to the Independent Panel’s future recommendations that the council would be prepared to accept them as it was the role of the Panel to review the scheme and consider how it should reflect the council’s structure.

91.4          Councillor G. Theobald stated that he supported the amendment and thanked the Panel for their work.

91.5         The Chair stated that he agreed if the Panel were asked to undertake a review then the council should be open to receiving their recommendations and taking them forward.  He put the amendment to the vote which was carried and the put the recommendations as amended to the vote.

91.6         RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND:

(1)         That the Panel’s desire to undertake a full review of the Members Allowances Scheme be noted,

(2)         That the Council be recommended to adopt the existing Members Allowances Scheme for the payment of allowances in 2014/15, with effect from day after the Annual Council Meeting in May 2014;

(3)         That the Chief Executive be authorised to issue the Brighton & Hove Members’ Allowances Scheme in accordance with the regulations following council approval;

(4)         That the allowance payable to each of the members of the Independent Remuneration Panel be increased by 1% in line with the Public Sector Pay award with effect from 1 September 2013, in recognition of the time commitment and the role of the Panel.