Agenda item

To consider the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

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.

The Executive received the report on the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel report relating to Members’ Allowances for the period 2024/25 and noted that Derek Phillips, as the Chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel had given his apologies, but would be attending Full Council on 12 December.

The Council’s 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.

The Panel had met in October 2023, to discuss the level of Members’ Allowances for the period 2024/25, and had received survey results and interviews from Members and Group Leaders relating to the level of remuneration and work being carried out by Members.

The Panel had recommended an increase of 4%, based on a median percentage increase, which was in line with the staff payment award as the benchmark for basic Councillor Allowance in 2024/25. This equated to a £261 increase in the level of Basic Allowance for each Member taking effect from 1 April 2024 and reflected the level of time which the average Councillor spent on constituency matters, casework, local community work and other Council work.

Councillor M. Mitchell, as an opposition group leader, spoke on this item and enquired how Exeter compared with other authorities.

During the discussion a Member advised that as a former Member of a remuneration panel in an authority, that comparisons with other authorities were undertaken but that the remuneration panel made its own decision and recommendations to the Council.

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.