Agenda item

Members' Allowances 2023/24

To consider the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

 

Decision:

Agreed:

 

RECOMMENDED to Council that:-

 

(1)   the basic structure and principles of the current Members’ Allowances scheme be retained for 2023/24;

(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 1.75% increase in the annual Local Staff Pay Award was awarded by the Employers side for staff which was effective for staff from April 2021);

(4)   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;

(5)   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 Corporate Manager, Democratic and Civic Support;

(6)   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

(7)   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, who was in attendance as the Chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

 

Derek Phillips presented the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel report relating to Members’ Allowances for the period 2023/24. The Independent Remuneration Panel reviewed and advised the Council on its scheme of Members’ Allowances and made recommendations on the allowance to be paid to Members each year, following the legislation set out under the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2001 and 2003.

 

Members were referred to the recommendations in the report, with particular reference made to the following points:-

 

·        that this had been the first review of the Member Allowances since the Covid-19 Pandemic;

·        at the next review, regard should be made to the relevance of the staff pay award for 2022/23 which had been paid as a lump sum and that some other authorities had set a 4% increase for their allowances; and

·        the principle that a Special Responsibility Allowance should not be paid to more than 50% of the overall number of Councillors should continue to be kept under review and adhered to where possible.

 

During the discussion, a Member highlighted that the current level of Special Responsibility Allowance was 51% which was as close to the 50% threshold as possible.

 

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

 

RECOMMENDED to Council that:-

 

(1)   the basic structure and principles of the current Members’ Allowances scheme be retained for 2023/24;

(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 1.75% increase in the annual Local Staff Pay Award was awarded by the Employers side for staff which was effective for staff from April 2021);

(4)   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;

(5)   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 Corporate Manager, Democratic and Civic Support;

(6)   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

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

 

Supporting documents: