Agenda item

Members' Allowances Scheme

To receive the report and recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel on the Members’ Allowances Scheme for the Shadow period.

 

Report from the Governance Lead Officer East attached.

Minutes:

The Governance Lead Officer submitted a paper setting out the recommendations of Cheshire County Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel for the Members Allowances Scheme for the Shadow period. It was noted that full consideration of the recommendation had been deferred at the last Committee meeting.  Members then considered the Panel’s recommendations in full and the proposed scheme as set out in the Appendix to the paper.  The following matters were raised during the lengthy debate:-

  • It was acknowledged, in agreeing the allowances, that a proportion of the County's allowances will be being accepted
  • the Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) for the Chairman should be increased from the suggested £3,000 to £4,000
  • Whilst the Committee wanted the offices of Committee and Panel Spokespersons to be left in the list by way of acknowledgement of the role, and that this role would develop, there should be no allowance for either during the Shadow Council period
  • There was significant debate on payment of SRA, and the original suggestion of a limit of x1 SRA per member should be applied
  • Some clarification should be brought to the occasions upon which travel and subsistence allowances may be claimed.  The general consensus of the meeting was that this should be specified as being limited to official Shadow Council business only.

 

RESOLVED

 

That this Committee make the following recommendations concerning the appropriate rates and application of allowances for payment from 2 May 2008 to the Council at its meeting to be held on 30 July 2008:-

 

  1. That the report and recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel be received and the Panel be thanked for their work.

 

  1. The Shadow Council be recommended to adopt the County Council’s Allowances Scheme, as set out in the Independent Panel’s report, subject to:

 

  1. A proportion of the County Council’s Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances being applied to the Shadow Council in the following sums:

 

 

£ (per annum)

Basic Allowance

£4,800

Council Chairman

£4,000

Vice Chairman

£1.500

Council Leader

£15.000

Deputy Leader

£10,000

Cabinet Member

£7,500

Committees (excluding Joint Liaison Committee)

 

Chair

£4,000

Vice Chair

£1,500

Spokesperson

No SRA to apply at present but it be noted that this role will develop with time

Panels (Cabinet Advisory and other Panels)

 

Chair

£2,000

Vice Chair

£1,000

Spokesperson

No SRA to apply at present but it be noted that this role will develop with time

Opposition Group Leaders

£4,000

Deputy Leaders

Nil

Administration Group Whip

£3,000

Deputy Administration Group Whip

£1,500

Opposition Group Whip

£1,500

Opposition Group Deputy Whip

Nil
  1. The number of Special Responsibility Allowances, which may be claimed by any individual Member of the Shadow Council, be limited to one.
  1. Travelling and Subsistence Reimbursement Allowances and Dependents’ Carers’ Allowances be paid in accordance with the County Council’s arrangements at the rates and in respect of the duties as indicated in the Scheme.
  1. The County Council’s Nominated Member Duties allowances provisions should form part of the Shadow Council’s Allowances Scheme, so as to enable the Chairman and Vice Chairman, Party Group Leaders and Deputy Leaders and Party Group Whips to claim travel and subsistence allowances for attendance, as required, at the Headquarters buildings of Cheshire County Council, Macclesfield Borough Council, Congleton Borough Council and Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council.
  1. Payment of all of the above allowances be applied retrospectively as appropriate from May 2008.

Supporting documents: