Issue - meetings

Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel on Members’ Allowances, following deferral of the item in December 2014.

Members were presented with the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel in relation to members’ allowances, which had been deferred at the December meeting of Council. It was moved by Councillor Wright, seconded by Councillor Surtees and by majority vote

RESOLVED – the recommendations of the Independent Panel be approved as follows:

(i)            The basic allowance be increased from £3,275 to £4,000 per annum;

(ii)           The allowances for the Mayor and Deputy remain unchanged;

(iii)          The Special Responsibility Allowances be increased as follows:

(iv)         The travel allowances be aligned to HMRC rates of 45p per mile;

(v)          The Independent Remuneration Panel continue to meet on an annual basis (unless requested by Council to review the Scheme at any point within the ensuing 12 months) in accordance with recommendation of Internal Audit to give consideration to the Members’ Allowance Scheme.

Councillors Bill, Bray, Cartwright, D Cope, G Cope, Crooks, Hodgkins, Hollick, Lynch, Nichols, Taylor and Witherford wished it to be recorded that they voted against the recommendation.

Report of the Chief Executive.

Council was presented with the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel on Members’ Allowances and the comments of the Scrutiny Commission. Members acknowledged that the allowances for this authority were low in comparison with others and in respect of the hours worked, but felt that this was not a good time to increase allowances, particularly as staff had only received low pay increases. It was moved by Councillor Witherford and seconded by Councillor Bray that the matter be deferred until the Annual Council meeting in May 2015. Upon being put to the vote the motion was CARRIED. A counter-motion proposed by Councillor Bessant and seconded by Councillor Allen that the recommendations within the report be supported and future increases be linked to staff increases was not put to the vote. It was

RESOLVED – consideration of the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel be deferred to Annual Council in May 2015.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate Direction). The Chairman has agreed to take this as an urgent item to enable the Scrutiny Commission to discuss prior to decision by Council on 16 December.

The Scrutiny Commission gave consideration to the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel who had recommended the same increase in allowances and decrease in mileage rate payable that had been rejected by Council the previous year. The Panel had felt that HBBC Councillors received far lower remuneration than other Councillors from all other neighbouring authorities and were now no longer receiving a level of remuneration which would be considered fair for the work undertaken and responsibilities held.

Members acknowledged the reasoning behind the recommendations of the Panel and reiterated that their responsibilities and powers had increased enormously, yet no increase in allowances had been agreed since 2005. In relation to the mileage, they felt that the rate currently paid was still appropriate and necessary and did not support the reduction in line with the HMRC rate.

With regard to future reviews of members’ allowances, it was noted that the Independent Remuneration Panel would meet annually. Members asked that future assessments bring HBBC in line with other local authorities. It was moved by Councillor Batty, seconded by Councillor Nichols and

RECOMMENDEDto Council –

(i)            The recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel in relation to the basic allowance and special responsibility allowances be approved;

(ii)           The recommendation of the Panel in relation to the decrease in mileage allowance be rejected;

(iii)          The Panel be recommended to bring the HBBC members’ allowances in line with other authorities in future reviews.