Issue - meetings

To consider a report (to follow) of the Head of Democratic and Legal Support Services.

Council considered a report containing the recommendations of the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) following its review of Members Allowances. 

The IRP had proposed retaining the allowance levels at existing levels, except for the Special Responsibility Allowance for the Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee being increased from 0.5 to 0.75.  In response to a Member’s question, the Chief Executive confirmed that the IRP had proposed that this be backdated to 21 May 2015.

Council also noted that there were now three vacancies on the Panel and agreed that Officers should now progress filling all three vacancies in time for the commencement of the next review in Autumn 2016.

Council approved the recommendations as now detailed.

RESOLVED – that (A) the allowance levels within the 2015/16 scheme be retained for 2016/17 (1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017) save that:

(1)       the multiplier to obtain the Special Responsibility Allowance for the Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee be increased from 0.5 to 0.75 and that the revised multiplier be applied from the day after the Annual Council meeting in 2015 (i.e. 21 May), and

(2)       the subsistence rates be as follows:

Breakfast       Before 7am              7.21

Lunch            Between noon

                       and 2.30 pm             9.95

Tea                Between 2.30 pm

                       and 7pm                   3.94

Evening

Meal*              After 7pm                 12.33

*Note: Evening meal allowance cannot be claimed with tea allowance.

(B)      Officers be authorised to recruit and appoint three people to fill the vacancies on the Authority’s Independent Remuneration Panel before the commencement of its work to review and make recommendations on Members’ Allowances for 2017/18.