Agenda item

To consider the attached report.

S Lye, Independent Member of the Remuneration Panel presented a report following the Panel’s annual review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme.

Amendment moved by Councillor J H Whitehouse and seconded by Councillor J M Whitehouse

That the recommendations of the Remuneration Panel be amended by the addition of the recommendation set out below to be numbered (4) and the renumbering of the remaining recommendations:

(4)        That a sum equivalent to £35 per councillor be retained each year by the Council from the total Basic Allowance budget so that the registration of all councillors as data controllers can be achieved without the need for individual applications.

                                                                                                                             Carried

Report as amended ADOPTED

 RESOLVED:             

             Basic Allowance

(1)       That no change be made to the amount of Basic Allowance of £4300 per member per annum currently included in the adopted Members’ Allowances Scheme;

  Implementation

(2)       That the level of implementation of the Basic Allowance for 2014/15 be increased from £3,150 per member per annum to £3,400 by discontinuing the IT Connectivity Allowance of £250 per member per annum and incorporating that amount in the Basic Allowance;

(3)       That the level of implementation of the Basic Allowance be further increased from £3,400 to £3,435 to meet the cost of a member registering as a Data Controller with the Information Commissioner and members be reminded of the requirements for registration and the risks of not registering (thereby increasing the level of implementation from 73% to 80% of the full amount at “zero” cost ;

(4)     That a sum equivalent to £35 per councillor be retained each year by the Council from the total Basic Allowance budget so that the registration of all councillors as data controllers can be achieved without the need for individual applications;

(5)     That in formulating future budgets the Council considers increasing  further the level of implementation of the Basic Allowance to achieve payment of the full amount of £4,300 in the adopted Members’ Allowances Scheme by either:

(a)  increasing the level of implementation to the full amount in 2015/16; or

(b)  phasing an increase in the level of implementation to approximately 90% (£3,870 per member) in 2015/16 and 100% (£4,300 per member) in 2016/17;

Special Responsibility Allowances

(6)         That no change be made to the current amounts of Special Responsibility Allowances;

(7)         That the Panel give further consideration to the amount of the Special Responsibility Allowance for the Chairman of the Standards Committee if the workload for that position increases from the current level;

              Independent Persons – Standards Regime

(8)         That, although not part of the Members’ Allowances Scheme, the Independent Persons appointed by the Council as part of its standards arrangements continue to be paid an allowance of £250 per member per annum in 2014/15;

(9)         That the Panel give further consideration to this allowance if the workload for the position increases from the current level or, if and when, the Council changes the number of Independent Persons;

              Connectivity Allowance

(10)         That the IT Connectivity Allowance be discontinued with effect from 1 April 2014;

              Travel Outside of the District

(11)       That no change be made to the Members’ Allowances Scheme regarding the restrictions placed on the amount that can be claimed for travel outside of the District;

              HMRC Requirements

(12)       That the Members’ Allowances Scheme and Guidance Note be amended to reflect the requirements of HMRC in relation to the treatment of mileage and subsistence for taxation and National Insurance purposes;

(13)       That the attention of members be drawn to their ability to challenge the HMRC requirements;

              Pensions

(14)       That the Members’ Allowances Scheme be amended to reflect the current entitlement of councillors to join the Local Government Pension Scheme and the Government’s intention to discontinue the entitlement of councillors to join the Scheme after 1 April 2014 with existing subscribers’ accrued rights protected;

              Revised Scheme and Guidance Note

(15)       That, subject to the adoption of the above recommendations, the amended Members’ Allowances Scheme and Guidance Note attached as Appendix 4 to these minutes incorporating changes indicated in bold type and underlined be adopted.