Issue - meetings

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services presented the Independent Remuneration Panel’s report on the Panel’s behalf. He said that Council agreed, at its meeting on 1 March 2023, to extend the 2022/23 Members’ Allowance Scheme until the scheduled Council meeting in October 2023. He said that this was done to allow new Members elected in May 2023 to input into the process and provide the Independent Remuneration Panel with their views on member allowances for the year ahead.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services said that the Panel met three times on 6, 13 and 19 September 2023, meeting with Members from each of the political groups on the Council as set out at paragraph 2.4, and also conducted an online survey which all Members were encouraged to complete, with thirty-five Members doing so, representing 70% of the Council.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services said that the Panel conducted its review of Members’ allowances pursuant to the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances)(England) Regulations 2003. The rationale applied by the Panel in formulating their recommendations can found at paragraphs 2.8 to 3.3 of the report, and the results of the Member survey are at Appendix C.

Councillor Brittain proposed that the recommendations in the report be supported. Councillor Adams seconded the proposal.

Councillor Brittain thanked the panel for their report and said that the overall increase in allowances worked out at 3% which he felt was fair.

Councillor Glover-Ward said she was pleased to see that the Dependents Carer Allowances had been increased so that no future candidates were put off from  being a councillor.

Councillor Goldspink thanked the Panel for their work and supported their recommendations. She felt that there should be an allowance attached to the role of councillor to reflect the expenses that are incurred when fulfilling their duties. She said it was interesting to note that East Herts Council pay a lower allowance than six other councils within Hertfordshire.

Councillor Deering said the Conservative supported the work of the independent Panel and supported their recommendations.

The motion to support the recommendation having been proposed and seconded was put to the meeting and upon a vote being taken, was declared CARRIED.

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

i) To increase the Basic Allowance by £250 from £5,428.79 to £5,678.79 for 2023/24;

ii) To increase the Dependants’ Carers Allowance from £25.00 per hour to up to £30.00 per hour;

iii) To increase the Childcare Allowance from £12.50

per hour to up to £15.00 per hour;

iv) To increase the electric car mileage from 4p per

mile to 45p per mile in line with HMRC guidance;

and

v) To make no changes to the Members’ current

Allowance Scheme other than those listed in the recommendations above.