Agenda item

(Copy herewith)

Councillor Nunn proposed a report which sought Councils approval to amend the Council’s current Scheme of Members’ Allowances to take into account the recommendations received form the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP). He noted that the Chair of the IRP would elaborate on the report.

Councillor Larratt seconded the report.

Mr John Cade (Chair of the IRP) explained that the panel had met on a number of occasions with various Councillors and noted a questionnaire had been sent out to all Councillors for comments and feedback. He commented that Northampton Borough Council was not a typical Borough Council and that this should be recognised.

Councillor Stone questioned why Group Whips received no remuneration which Mr Cade explained was a valid but political role and therefore not awarded an allowance. She further commented that it would be insensitive for Councillors to receive an increased allowance as tax payers were hard hit by austerity measures and front line services had also been impacted on as well as some Council workers.

The Leader commented that he was aware of some Councillors who were suffering from financial hardship and that some of the roles that were being undertaken by Councillors could be considered full time and noted that the allowances they received were less than some officers on an hourly rate basis. He stated that the reason the Labour Group were not in favour was due to their manifesto pledge.

Councillors Beardsworth and B Markham concurred that the last time an Independent Remuneration Panel had made considerations was back in 2008 and that whilst they recognised the hardship faced by some residents, the commitment and hours dedicated by Councillors should be recognised.

Councillor Marriott commented that the Labour Group would oppose the changes as they did not recognise the need to increase allowances. He stated that it had been a manifesto pledge and that the group would be standing by their promises. Councillor Smith echoed the sentiments of Councillor Marriott and commented that the group were remaining by their principles.

Councillor Meredith commented that the Labour Group were using the report politically and reported that it was an independent review and commented that it should not be referred to as a pay rise, but an increase in allowances.  He commented that he, like others Members, were on-call to residents up to 20 hours a day and urged Council to agree to the recommendations.

Councillor Oldham commented that there was never a right time to increase allowances and noted that all of the concerns that he initially had and raised with the panel had been answered and were addressed in the report. He noted that he would take the increased allowance but would donate his increase to the Mayor’s Charity.

Councillor Nunn thanked the members of the IRP for their hard work and specifically thanked the Chair of the IRP for his attendance at the meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the following recommendations received from the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel, as detailed in the Report at Appendix 1 and the supplementary Report of the Panel at Appendix 2 (of the report) be considered, that:

a)     the Basic Allowance, of £6,692.26 per annum, remains unaltered;

b)     the  Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) for the Leader of the Council is set at £17,227.74 per annum;

c)     the annual SRAs for positions receiving an SRA be maintained at the same percentage level of the Leader’s SRA:

·         Deputy Leader (60%)

·         Cabinet Member (55%)

·         Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (35%)

·         Leader of the Main Opposition Party (35%)

·         Chair of the Planning Committee (30%)

·         Chair of the Licensing Committee (30%)

·         Leader of the Third Group (20%)

·         Councillors appointed to the West Northants Strategic       

Planning Committee (10%);

d)     the Special Responsibility Allowance for the Chair of Standards Committee be set at 15% of the Leader’s SRA;

e)     the Co-Optee allowance for the Independent Chair of Audit Committee is set at £4306.94 per annum;

f)      any Independent Members or Parish Councillor Members co-opted onto the Standards Committee receive a co-optees allowance of £500 each per annum;

g)     all the allowances as recommended are indexed at a rate of 1% for 2017/2018;

h)     the recommended Basic Allowance, Special Responsibility Allowances and Co-optees’ Allowances be index linked to any salary increases for Northampton Borough Council Officers at grade 5 of the organisation’s Pay Scales and that such indexation continues until the next review of the IRP, or for a period of four years, whichever is the sooner;

i)       the Constitution is amended to reflect the policy that, where Councillors hold more than one position of special responsibility, only one SRA (the higher amount) may be claimed;  

j)    the Councillors’ Travelling Allowance, Guidance for Members, draft version 4, February 2017 (as at Annex B of Appendix 1) be approved;

k)  no change is made to the Dependants’ Carers Allowance Scheme; and 

l)    these recommendations take effect from May 2017.

2.2      That the Council’s Members’ Allowances Scheme be amended to reflect the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel as detailed in its reports at Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 of the report.

2.3      That authority be delegated to the Borough Secretary and Monitoring Officer to:

a)     make the necessary changes to the Members’ Allowances Scheme in the Council’s Constitution to reflect Council’s decision, to include the full schedule of rates and allowances and terms and conditions; and

b)     make arrangements for the publicity that the Council is required to undertake in accordance with Regulation 16 of the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003.