Agenda item

To receive the report of the Members’ Allowances Panel concerning recommendations of the Panel with regard to the Council’s Members’ Allowances Scheme and to seek a decision on an appropriate scheme for the payment of allowances in 2016-17.

57.1       Council considered a report of the Chair of the independent Members’ Allowances Panel concerning the 2016 review of the Council’s Members’ Allowances Scheme and seeking a decision on an appropriate scheme for the payment of allowances in 2016-17.

57.2       Councillor James acknowledged the recommendations of the Panel contained within the report and moved the following motion:

That the current Members’ Allowances Scheme be adopted as the approved Scheme for 2016-17.

57.3       Councillor Dallimore seconded the motion.

57.4       Councillor James explained that the Council would not ordinarily seek to depart from the recommendations of the independent Panel, however, the consultation undertaken demonstrated that Members were happy with the scheme, therefore he saw no reason to amend it at the present time. He noted the Panel’s proposal to remove the provision for annual indexation in line with the staff pay award and explained that as the hourly rate used in the formula was now out of date, there was no logic in preserving the formula. If the formula was updated, it would award Councillors a greater increase than that proposed for staff, therefore the most sensible approach was for current scheme to be adopted for 2016-17, including the retention of the annual indexation provision.

57.5       RESOLVED - That the current Members’ Allowances Scheme be adopted as the approved Scheme for 2016-17.