Decision details

Agreed:

RECOMMENDED to Council that:-

(1)  the basic structure and principles of the current Members’ Allowances scheme be retained for 2024/25;

(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 continue to be linked and updated in line with the national pay awards for the previous year, (a lump sum payment of £1,925 was agreed for the period 2022/23 effective from April 2022). The Panel considered it appropriate to use the median percentage pay increase of 4.04% as a benchmark for the Basic Councillor Allowance;

(4)  a new Special Responsibility Allowance be offered to the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Board in recognition of their coordination of the support role offered by the Board to the scrutiny function;

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

(6)  the current Dependants’ Carers’ Allowance scheme be maintained, with the continuation of the level of allowance matching the hourly Living Wage as applicable from April of each year (together with the retention of the uplift of the standard rate of income tax). 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, (together with the retention of the uplift of the standard rate of income tax) can be agreed by negotiation in advance with the Democratic Services Manager;

(7)  the sum of £50 be 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

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

Reason for Decision: As set out in the report.