Agenda item

To receive the report of the Members’ Allowances Panel concerning the 2015 Review of Members’ Allowances and the Panel’s recommendations for a scheme of payment for 2015-16.

73.1      The Council considered a report of the Members’ Allowances Panel concerning the 2015 Review of Members’ Allowances and the Panel’s recommendations for a scheme of payment for 2015-16.

73.2      Councillor James moved the recommendations set out in the report.

73.3      Councillor Dallimore seconded the motion.

73.4      Councillor James invited Mrs Madeleine Townley, the representative of the Members’ Allowances Panel to introduce the report.

73.5      Mrs Townley presented the report on behalf of the Members’ Allowances Panel who had conducted a root and branch review of the scheme. She noted that allowances had been frozen since 2010/11. The Panel had amassed a considerable amount of data and had consulted Members of the Council. The response rate of 58 per cent was more than previous years but the Panel would like more responses in future. The scheme had evolved since it was introduced in 2003 and the Panel considered that it had worked well although there was no set formula for determining the level of basic allowance but the Panel had recalculated this allowance to make it more straightforward to determine levels in future years.

73.6      The allowance had been calculated using a formula approach which resulted in an increase to the Basic Allowance. The Special Responsibility Allowances had been reviewed in detail and the other elements of the scheme had been updated to facilitate the administration of the scheme. She noted that eligible Members did not always make use of the travel and subsistence allowance and the dependents’ carers allowances that they were entitled to and she encouraged them to do so as they were intended to remove barriers. She stated that the Panel understood that the Council was facing challenging financial circumstances, but hoped that Members found the scheme to be justifiable and fair.

73.7      Mrs Townley thanked the Members of the Panel and all involved in the review process.

73.8      Councillor Lugg expressed her disappointment that the Panel had not considered measures to offset loss of earnings experienced by Members required to attending meetings of outside bodies in working hours.

73.9      Councillor James thanked Mrs Townley and the members of the Panel and was pleased that there appeared to be a consensus of acceptance in the Chamber.

73.10   RESOLVED –

(1)          That the recommendations of the Member’s Allowances Panel be noted and the proposed Members’ Allowances Scheme attached at Annex 2 to the Report of the Members’ Allowances Panel be approved for the payment of allowances in 2015-16.

(2)          That the next four yearly detailed review of Members’ Allowances be scheduled to report in January 2019.

(3)          That the civic allowances payable to the Mayor and Sheriff/Deputy Mayor be set at £6,000 and £3,500 respectively.