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:-
- That the report and recommendations
of the Independent Remuneration Panel be received and the Panel be
thanked for their work.
- The Shadow Council be recommended to
adopt the County Council’s Allowances Scheme, as set out in
the Independent Panel’s report, subject to:
- 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
|
- The number of Special Responsibility
Allowances, which may be claimed by any individual Member of the
Shadow Council, be limited to one.
- 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.
- 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.
- Payment of all of the above
allowances be applied retrospectively as appropriate from May
2008.