Agenda item - Review of Members' Allowances

(a)    Report of the Acting Director of Strategy & Governance, together with an extract from the proceedings of Governance Committee meeting held on the 9^th March 2010 (copies attached).

(b)         Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel, together with an extract from the proceedings of the Governance Committee meeting held on the 9^th March 2010 (copy attached).

28.1         Councillor Oxley introduced the report and thanked the members of the Independent Remuneration Panel for their continuing work and their report.  He noted that consideration of the matter had been deferred at the March meeting of the council to enable further discussions to take place between the Leaders of the Groups and the Panel.  Both the Leader and the Leader of the Opposition had met with the Panel.  Whilst the Panel had taken on board the concerns raised in relation to their recommendations for the Members Allowances Scheme, which they were willing to look at as part of their next review, their report remained unchanged.  He stated that there was a statutory requirement to publish an agreed scheme for Members Allowances and in view of the lack of consensus that existed at this time he therefore wished to propose that the Panel’s report should be noted and that the current Members Allowances Scheme remain in operation for the 2010/11.

28.2         Councillor Mitchell stated that she also wished to thank the Panel for their work and offering to take into consideration the points she had raised in regard to their proposals which were quite different.  However, she could not support the Panel’s report at this stage and would therefore be voting in favour of retaining the current scheme.

28.3         Councillor Peltzer Dunn stated that he believed further consideration and understanding of the role of Members was required and that there should be recognition of the Deputy Chairmen’s roles within the scheme.  He also expressed concern over the question of limiting the Mayor’s and Deputy Mayor’s allowances should they be confined to an extended period of sickness absence.

28.4         Councillor Randall stated that he believed the Panel had undertaken a great deal of work and that their recommendations should be supported.  His only concern remained over the question of Child Care and he hoped that this could be looked at further in their next review.

28.5         Councillor Elgood stated that he believed the Independent Panel should be recognised for his independence and whilst he did not necessarily support all the recommendations, he felt it was only right to accept the Panel’s report.  However, he could not vote for the report on this occasion as the recommendations were based on a 1% increase to the Basic Allowance’ and he felt that this was inappropriate in the current economic climate.

28.6         Councillor Oxley noted the comments and stated that he did not feel it was beneficial for the council to seek to amend the Panel’s recommendations at this point in time.  He believed that it was better for the Panel to complete its next review and report to council in the New Year, having taken on board the concerns expressed at the Governance Committee and by the Leaders and in the meantime to retain the current scheme.

28.7         The Mayor stated that in view of the differing recommendations detailed in the Acting Director’s report, he proposed to take a recorded vote and asked Members to indicate their preference for either recommendation.

28.8         The Mayor confirmed that the recommendation to note the Independent Remuneration Panel’s report and approve the current Members Allowances Scheme had been carried.  He then put the remaining recommendations to the vote which were carried.

28.9         RESOLVED:

(1)    That the IRP’s recommendations be noted and that the existing Members’ Allowances Scheme be adopted for the payment of allowances in 2010/11;

(2)    That the Independent Remuneration Panel be thanked for their work and it be noted that the Panel would be reporting in March 2011;

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

(4)    That the allowance payable to each of the members of the Independent Remuneration Panel be increased by the council’s salary inflation of 1% in 2009 with effect from 14 May 2010 in recognition of their time commitment and their important role.