Agenda item

-      Report to follow

*RESOLVED –

That it be recommended to Full Council that:

1.   They consider the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel and determine whether or not to approve some or all of the Panel’s recommendations.

2.   The IR Panel’s report be published in the press and on the Council website, as set out at paragraph 6 of the officer’s report.

3.   A supplementary estimate to meet the additional costs outlined in paragraph 5.1 of the officer’s report be approved.

4.   They express both their appreciation and thanks to the members of the IR Panel for the thorough and efficient way in which they carried out the review.

5.   The basic allowance, special responsibility allowances and Mayoral Allowance be updated annually in line with the annual percentage pay increase given to Chesterfield Borough Council employees as agreed for each financial year by the National Joint Council for Local Government Staff until 31 March, 2023 unless the Council has before then sought a further recommendation from its IR Panel on their application in this scheme.

REASON FOR DECISIONS

To enable the Council’s Members’ Allowances Scheme to be reviewed as required by the Local Government Act 2000 and The Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003.

The Senior Democratic and Scrutiny Officer presented a report detailing the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IR Panel) following its recent review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme. The Council appointed the IR Panel earlier in the year to consider Members’ allowances as a statutory requirement of the Local Government Act 2000. The IR Panel last carried out a comprehensive review in 2015.

The IR Panel’s report recommended increases to the Basic Allowance along with the Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) for the Chair of Planning, Appeals and Regulatory and Standards and Audit Committees, and the Vice Chairs of Planning and Appeals and Regulatory Committee. The Panel’s report also recommended the introduction (or re-introduction) of two SRAs: Chair of Licensing Committee and Deputy Leader of the main opposition group. In addition, the Panel recommended that the SRA for the Vice Chairs of Scrutiny Committees be reduced. The overall cost of implementing the Panel’s recommendations amounted to an additional £8,472, a year compared to the current scheme, which reduced to £3,718 whilst the Chair of Appeals and Regulatory Committee was also the Chair of the Licensing Committee.

The decision on whether the Panel’s recommendations be accepted in full, in part or rejected would be taken by Full Council at its meeting on 18 December, 2019.

*RESOLVED –

That it be recommended to Full Council that:

1.    They consider the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel and determine whether or not to approve some or all of the Panel’s recommendations.

2.    The IR Panel’s report be published in the press and on the Council website, as set out at paragraph 6 of the officer’s report.

3.    A supplementary estimate to meet the additional costs outlined in paragraph 5.1 of the officer’s report be approved.

4.    They express both their appreciation and thanks to the members of the IR Panel for the thorough and efficient way in which they carried out the review.

5.    The basic allowance, special responsibility allowances and Mayoral Allowance be updated annually in line with the annual percentage pay increase given to Chesterfield Borough Council employees as agreed for each financial year by the National Joint Council for Local Government Staff until 31 March, 2023 unless the Council has before then sought a further recommendation from its IR Panel on their application in this scheme.

REASON FOR DECISIONS

To enable the Council’s Members’ Allowances Scheme to be reviewed as required by the Local Government Act 2000 and The Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003.