Agenda item

Members Allowances 2021/22

To consider the report of the Chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

 

Decision:

Agreed:

 

RECOMMENDED to Council that: -

 

(1)  the basic structure and principles of the current Members’ Allowances scheme for 2021/22 be retained;

 

(2)  the principle that any Member qualifying for more than one Special Responsibility Allowance is paid the higher allowance only, be retained;

 

(3)  the Councillors’ Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances including the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor’s Expenses Allowances, should be linked and updated in line with the Local Government Employers (LGE) staff pay award for the previous year (a 2.75% increase in the annual Local Staff Pay Award was awarded by the Employers side for staff which was effective for staff from April 2020), and be uplifted by this amount with effect from 1 April 2021;

 

(4)  the principle that Special Responsibility Allowances be paid to no more than 50% of the overall number of councillors be kept under review and adhered to where possible;

 

(5)  a new Special Responsibility Allowance be paid to the Chair of the newly formed Harbour Board;

 

(6)  a new Special Responsibility Allowance, to be funded from Housing Revenue Account, be paid to the Chair of the newly formed Council Housing and Development Advisory Board;

 

(7)  the current Dependants’ Carers’ Allowance scheme be maintained, with the continuation of the level of allowance matching the Living Wage of £9.30 (with effect 1 April 2020) per hour or part of (retaining the uplift of the standard rate of income tax to £11.16). In the case of members who need specialist care for a child or adult dependant, a higher rate, of up to £25 per hour or part thereof, can be agreed by negotiation in advance with the Corporate Manager, Democratic and Civic Support;

 

(8)  the sum of £50 paid to the Independent Persons affiliated to the Audit and Governance Committee for up to four hours work, and £100 for four hours and over, payable to each of the two Independent Persons (up to a maximum of £500 per person in any one year) be retained; and

 

(9)  the Travel and Subsistence allowances available for staff, to continue to apply to Exeter City Councillors, where appropriate.

 

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.

 

 

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Derek Phillips, the Chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel, to the meeting.

 

Derek Phillips presented the report of the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel relating to the Members’ Allowances for the period 2021/22. The Independent Remuneration Panel provided a review and guidance to the Council on a scheme of Members’ Allowances and to make recommendations on the allowance to be paid to Members, following the legislation set out under the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2001 and 2003.

 

Derek Phillips thanked those Members who had been interviewed by the Panel and made particular reference to:-

 

·         the new Special Responsibility Allowances it was recommended should be paid to the Chairs of the newly formed Harbour Board and the Council Housing and Development Advisory Board, the latter funded from the Housing Revenue Account, both to be reviewed after 12 months as it was unclear at this stage the level of work involved;

·         an additional clause proposed in respect of specialist care within the Dependants’ Carers’ allowance;

·         to continue to match the Allowances with the Local Government Employers (LGE) staff pay award;

·         a Panel suggestion for a review in 12 months’ time in view of the continuing Covid-19 crisis; and

·         the Panel had also thanked Councillors for the work they had undertaken during the crisis.

 

The Chair thanked Derek Phillips and the Independent Remuneration Panel for their work and Derek for attending the meeting.

 

RECOMMENDED to Council that: -

 

(1)  the basic structure and principles of the current Members’ Allowances scheme for 2021/22 be retained;

 

(2)  the principle that any Member qualifying for more than one Special Responsibility Allowance is paid the higher allowance only, be retained;

 

(3)  the Councillors’ Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances including the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor’s Expenses Allowances, should be linked and updated in line with the LGE staff pay award for the previous year (a 2.75% increase in the annual Local Staff Pay Award was awarded by the Employers side for staff which was effective for staff from April 2020), and be uplifted by this amount with effect from 1 April 2021;

 

(4)  the principle that Special Responsibility Allowances be paid to no more than 50% of the overall number of Councillors be kept under review and adhered to where possible;

 

(5)  a new Special Responsibility Allowance be paid to the Chair of the newly formed Harbour Board;

 

(6)  a new Special Responsibility Allowance, to be funded from the Housing Revenue Account, be paid to the Chair of the newly formed Council Housing and Development Advisory Board;

 

(7)  the current Dependants’ Carers’ Allowance scheme be maintained, with the continuation of the level of allowance matching the Living Wage of £9.30 (with effect from 1 April 2020) per hour or part of (retaining the uplift of the standard rate of income tax to £11.16). In the case of Members who need specialist care for a child or adult dependant, a higher rate, of up to £25 per hour or part thereof, can be agreed by negotiation in advance with the Corporate Manager, Democratic and Civic Support;

 

(8)  the sum of £50 paid to the Independent Persons affiliated to the Audit and Governance Committee for up to four hours work, and £100 for four hours and over, payable to each of the two Independent Persons (up to a maximum of £500 per person in any one year) be retained; and

 

(9)  the Travel and Subsistence allowances available for staff, to continue to apply to Exeter City Councillors, where appropriate.

 

 

Supporting documents: