Agenda item

Chairman of the independent Member Remuneration Panel, S Lye, to present a report to the Council recommending the Members’ Allowance Scheme for 2024/25.

The Council considered the report of the Member Remuneration Panel on the Members’ Allowance Scheme for 2024/25, presented by Mr S Lye on behalf of the Panel.

Mr S Lye highlighted that, as detailed in the report, the Council had one of the lowest Basic Allowances of comparable and neighbouring authorities and the second lowest in Essex. Consequently, the Panel was concerned that the work undertaken by members of this Council could be perceived as being of lower value than the work undertaken by members of other Councils. The Panel also noted that the total number of Councillors would be decreasing by four after the local elections in May, due to the recent boundary review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. Therefore, the Panel had recommended an increase in the Basic Allowance of £300 per annum, which could be met by the existing Members Allowance budget, and would avoid the Council falling below the lowest Council in the benchmarking table. No other changes were proposed to the Members Allowance Scheme.

The Council acknowledged the argument put forward by the Panel to support the proposed increase in the Basic Allowance, and accepted that the caseload of each Councillor would increase after the local elections in May, due to the overall reduction in the number of Councillors. It was also suggested that the Panel could review the level of Special Responsibility Allowance paid to the Chairmen of Committees when it conducted its review next year.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr C Whitbread, proposed a motion that the proposal to increase the Basic Allowance be added to the draft budget as a growth bid, and a final decision be taken as part of the overall budget setting process so that the decision would be fully costed and affordable for the Council. This motion was seconded by the Portfolio Holder for Finance & Economic Development, Cllr J Philip.

            Resolved:

            (1)        That for the 2024/25 municipal year, the proposal to increase the    Basic Allowance to £4,600 per annum be included in the draft budget for     2024/25 and a final decision taken by the Council as part of the budget setting process;

            Special Responsibility Allowance:

            (2)        That for the 2024/25 municipal year, no changes be made to the level        of the Special Responsibility Allowances currently included in the Members’    Allowances Scheme;

            (3)        That for the 2024/25 municipal year, the implementation level of           Special Responsibility Allowance applied to the responsibilities identified in      the Members’ Allowances Scheme be retained at their current level;

            Revised Scheme and Guidance:

            (4)        That, subject to the above recommendations and other matters set out            in this report, the Members’ Allowances Scheme and Guidance for 2024/25, attached at Appendix 2 to this report, be adopted and implemented with effect        from 23 May 2024; and

            (5)        That the Panel continue to be kept appraised of the Council’s         intentions regarding any future restructure or governance review proposals            that directly affect the application of Special Responsibility Allowance for the         specific member roles and responsibilities currently reflected in the Members’             Allowances Scheme.