Agenda item

Councillors Hannaford and Prowse declared interests as members of the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority.

 

The minutes of the Executive of 12 December 2017 were presented by the Leader, Councillor Edwards, and taken as read.

 

In respect of Minute 109 (Members’ Allowances 2018/21), Councillor Denham stated the importance of responding to recent, negative media coverage on the issue. The matter of Members’ Allowances was one which often engendered emotive but uninformed comments which failed to accurately reflect the reality of public service. In general, Councillors were hard working, committed to their communities and with growing workloads. Many made significant career and family sacrifices to commit to public service and such competing demands often discouraged people from becoming Councillors. Difficulties in becoming a Councillor, especially in times of austerity, impacted on the makeup of Councils and had led to an under representation from certain groups such as younger people, single parents and minority groups.

 

The majority of Members supported these views, commenting on an over concentration of older and/or retired Members in some Councils and referring to some Members who lost out financially because of their Council commitments. Many Members expressed the view that an independent body rather than Council’s should set the level of allowances. The general low level of Councillor remuneration was considered a barrier to civic participation and it was also noted that the proposed allowance for Exeter was low compared to other Councils.

 

Some Members stated that they could not support the recommendations of the Panel, one Member stating that, whilst sympathetic to the views expressed he was unable to support the suggested increase because of the low level of pay increases proposed for council employees; another commenting that it was inappropriate for the Council to set its own level; with others referring to the disproportionate increase compared with other authorities.

 

The Leader moved the recommendation of the Independent Remuneration Panel and it was seconded.

 

 

RESOLVED that:-

 

(1)        the basic structure and principles of the current Members’ Allowances scheme be retained for 2018/19;

 

(2)        the principle be set that Special Responsibility Allowances be paid to no more than 50% of the overall number of councillors;

 

(3)        the principle that any Member qualifying for more than one Special Responsibility Allowance is paid the higher allowance only, should be retained, including, and if appropriate, for the Chair of the HRA Management Board (as per recommendation (11) below) if they are an elected Member;

 

(4)        the Councillors’ Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances including the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor’s Expenses Allowances, should be linked to the average allowance per resident, in the agreed comparator group of authorities, with this figure being set at £1.87 per resident for the three year period of 2018/19 – 2020/21;

 

(5)        that, as a consequence of (4) above, the basic allowance for 2018/19 be set at £5,400 per annum (an increase of £350), with this sum being increased by a further £350 per annum in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 financial years (to £5,750 and £6,100 respectively);

 

(6)        that an additional Special Responsibility Allowance be paid to each Member Champion, with this being set at one quarter of a basic allowance (£1,350 in 2018/19), with such an allowance only payable during the life span of the particular task, and would be pro-rata for part-yearly terms;

 

(7)        Travel and Subsistence allowances available for staff continue to apply to Exeter City Councillors, where appropriate;

 

(8)        the current Dependants’ Carers’ Allowance scheme be maintained, with the continuation of the level of allowance matching the Living Wage of £8.44 per hour or part of (retaining the uplift of the standard rate of income tax to £10.13);  

 

(9)        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;

 

(10)      in respect of the Performance Scrutiny Panel, a sum equivalent to £10 per meeting be paid to each Member (this to be funded from the Housing Revenue Account); and

 

(11)     in respect of the proposed Housing Revenue Account Management Board:-

 

          a)           the principle of an allowance being paid to each Independent Member of the Board be agreed;

          b)           the principle of a Special Responsibility Allowance for the Chair of the Board be agreed;

          c)           the exact amounts for these allowances be considered and agreed by the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel on Members’ Allowances, once the position of the Management Board within the Council’s governance arrangements is agreed; and

d)           any payments made as a consequence of (a) and (b) above be    funded from the Housing Revenue Account

 

In accordance with Standing Order 27(1), a named vote on the recommendation was called for, and the voting recorded as follows:

 

Voting for:

 

Councillors Bialyk, Branston, Brimble, Denham, Edwards, Foale, Foggin, Hannaford, Harvey, Lyons, Mitchell, Morse, Owen, Packham, Pearson, the Lord Mayor, Sheldon, Sills, Sutton, Vizard M, Vizard N and Warwick.

 

 (22 Members)

 

Against:

 

Councillors Holland, Leadbetter, Musgrave, Newby, Prowse and Thompson.

 

(6 Members)

 

Abstain:

 

Councillors Henson, D. and Mrs Henson.

 

(2 Members)

 

Absent:

 

Councillors Ashwood, Baldwin, Gottschalk, the Deputy Lord Mayor, Keen, Lamb, Morris, Wardle and Wood.

 

(9 Members)

 

In respect of Minute 119 (Freedom of the City), the Leader reiterated the Council’s indebtedness to the emergency services and to the appreciation of their work in protecting and supporting the Citizens of Exeter. It was not however considered appropriate for the Freedom of the City to be granted to these bodies as their areas of responsibilities were not limited to the City but covered Devon and neighbouring Counties. The criteria for Freedom of the City status would, however, be reviewed.

 

The Leader moved that it was not appropriate for the Council to offer the Freedom of the City to the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, and the South West Ambulance Service Trust, this was seconded by Councillor Sutton.

 

The motion was put to the vote and carried.

 

RESOLVED that to offer the Freedom of the City to the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, and the South West Ambulance Service Trust was not the appropriate way forward.

 

In respect of Min. No 120 (Cowick Barton Tennis Court Refurbishment) and in response to a Member, the Portfolio Holder for Place advised that a strategic approach was being adopted to upgrade play facilities across the City. The Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing, Communities and Sport also commented that avenues of funding from national bodies to help fund improvements to sports and recreational facilities were investigated. Members welcomed the improvements to this well used community facility.

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of Executive held on 12 December 2017 be received and, where appropriate, adopted.