Agenda item

To consider a report on the Members’ Allowances Independent Remuneration Panel’s review of Cheshire East Council’s Scheme of Members’ Allowances.

The Committee considered the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel on the Scheme of Members’ Allowances.

The Independent Remuneration Panel had conducted a review of the current Scheme of Members’ Allowances.   To inform its review, the Panel had considered comparative data on allowances paid in the  CIPFA family of authorities of which Cheshire East was part.  The Panel had also met members from the different political groups and received briefings from officers of the Council. A copy of the Panel’s Report was attached as Appendix A to the Committee report.

Professor Steve Leach, Chairman of the Independent Remuneration Panel, responded to Members’ questions regarding the Panel’s report and recommendations.

RESOLVED:  That

1.            Council be recommended to note the Independent Remuneration Panel’s (IRP) report, and that the IRP members be thanked for their work on the Scheme of Members’ Allowances (the Scheme).

2.            Council be recommended to agree that:

a.            All allowances under the Scheme be index-linked, for a four year period commencing on 28th July 2016, to any NJC officers’ pay awards; the first of such indexation increases (if any) to apply to the NJC pay award for 2017/18.

b.            The Council’s new Allowances Scheme be implemented with effect from 28th July 2016.

(the following recommendations show the paragraph numbering in the financial analysis at Appendix C to the report)

c.            (1) The Panel’s views about the level of any overall increase in the budget be noted.

d.            (2) The Panel’s recommendations to discontinue Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs), as set out in paragraph 2 of Appendix C, be agreed.

e.            (3) The Panel’s recommendations, that the SRAs of the Leader, Deputy Leader, Cabinet members and Group Leaders should remain at their current level (subject to any future indexation as per paragraph 2[a] above), be agreed.

f.             (4) Consideration of the question of any changes to the SRA allocated to the Chairman of the Public Rights of Way Committee be deferred pending a report to the Constitution Committee upon potential options to amalgamate the work of that Committee with that of another decision-making body.

g.            (5) Whilst the principle of the recommended change to the SRA allocated to the Chairman of the Licensing Committee is accepted, the current SRA be retained, pending a report to the Constitution Committee upon potential options for the re-distribution of the SRA in line with the Panel’s recommendations.

h.            (6a) The Basic Allowance be increased to £11,754 per Member, as recommended by the Panel as its first option.

i.              (6b) The second option recommended by the Panel, for a further increase to the Basic Allowance of an additional £187 per annum per Member be not accepted.

j.              (7) [as per Recommendation 2(a)].

k.            (8) The Panel’s recommendation that Members should be allowed to claim more than one SRA be not accepted.

l.              (9) The Panel’s recommendation, that fees paid to Members who act as directors of wholly owned companies/ASDVs etc should not be taken into account in relation to payment of SRAs be accepted, provided that SRAs will not be paid to such Members in circumstances in which the Director of Legal Services determines that the payment of an SRA, or part, relates to a comparable duty performed by such Members in both roles.  

m.           (10) No changes be made to the existing mileage rates available to Members, nor to the existing recommendation that they claim the HMRC rate of 45p per mile.