Issue - meetings

To receive a report of the Head of Democratic and Legal Support Services.

The Head of Democratic and Legal Support Services submitted a report containing the recommendations of the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) following its review of Members Allowances.  He drew attention to an additional recommendation of the IRP set out in Essential Reference Paper ‘C’ as now tabled.

Councillor M Wood expressed his disappointment that the IRP had not recommended increasing the Basic Allowance.  He reminded Members that the level had been frozen for some years and that the benchmarked data set out in the report indicated that East Herts was falling behind comparable Authorities in the County.  He suggested that the IRP should be asked to look at this aspect again.

The Leader expressed some sympathy for Councillor M Wood’s view but questioned the practicalities of deferring a decision.  He believed the recommendations should be accepted but that further submissions be made to the IRP.

The Head of Democratic and Legal Support Services reminded Members that a decision on the 2013/14 scheme was required by 1 April 2013.  It would be possible for the IRP to be asked to consider further submissions and for backdating a new level, if it was minded to do so.

Council approved the recommendations as now detailed.

RESOLVED – that (A) the allowance levels within the 2012/13 scheme be retained for 2013/14 (1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014), save for:

·                        the consolidation of the IT expense payment of £420 per annum into the Basic Allowance subject to the qualification below relating to SRAs;

·                        the application of the multipliers to arrive at the SRAs payable shall be to the Basic Allowance (as amended), less the consolidated IT expense payment of £420;

·                        an increase in SRA payments to Development Control Committee Members to £270 (2012/13: £240) per annum;

·                        the mileage allowance payable in respect of use of own motor vehicle being revised to 45p (2012/13 -45p) per mile for the first 50 miles of a journey and 25p (2012/13 - 18p) per mile thereafter;

(B)      the existing 2012/13 Allowances Scheme be amended, with effect from 1 April 2012, by the consolidation of the IT expense payment of £420 per annum into the Basic Allowance subject to the qualification that the application of multipliers to arrive at SRAs shall be to the Basic Allowance (as amended) less £420.