Agenda item

The Director for Governance and Regulatory Services (and Monitoring Officer) to submit a report on the Review of Members’ Remuneration undertaken by the Welland Independent Remuneration Panel.

The Monitoring Officer presented her report which advised that it was a legal requirement to appoint an Independent Remuneration Panel and seek its advice before making any changes or amendments to the Member Allowances Scheme. The Member Allowances Scheme was last reviewed in February 2019 in preparation for the change of governance to the Cabinet Model. In that review the Welland Independent Remuneration Panel (the Panel) recommended that a further review was undertaken in January 2020 in order to evaluate the impact of the changes on the new governance arrangements. This review was undertaken in February 2020 and the Panel’s findings and recommendations were contained in the Panel’s report at Appendix A.

 

John Cade, the Chair of the Welland Independent Remuneration Panel, was in attendance at the meeting and presented the Panel’s findings as set out at Appendix A. He advised that he had consulted and offered meetings with all Members and received evidence which had helped to shape the recommendations. He thanked the Democratic Services Manager for her support to the Panel.

 

-oOo-

 

At 8 pm, the Mayor invited Members to applaud the NHS and all those who were supporting us throughout the coronavirus pandemic

 

-oOo-

 

Councillor Orson supported the Panel’s report and proposed the recommendations in the report. He advised that he would not accept any amendments to his proposal. He explained that the allowances scheme supported equality and helped to encourage people of walks of life to stand for election knowing that their commitment involved a structured level of  recognition of their time as well as recovery of expenses. He said the Panel was independent and had been asked to review the scheme following last year’s change in governance arrangements which had given more responsibility to the Cabinet and increased the time and commitment of their involvement. He thanked all those who had contributed to the review.

 

Councillor Higgins seconded and explained that the scheme encouraged younger people to stand for election and Melton had a good track record in attracting Members of all ages. He considered that ward work could take up to 18 hours per week and referred to the increased responsibility on Portfolio Holders in listening to the community and being proactive in understanding issues.

 

Councillor Evans proposed to withdraw the report as he felt uncomfortable considering an increase in allowances at a time when thousands of people were losing their jobs  due to the current pandemic. He recognised that Members held an important role but it was not vital for them to receive an increase at this time.

 

Councillor Holmes seconded the proposal to withdraw and reserved her right to speak.

 

Councillor Orson responded that sometimes Members had to take uncomfortable decisions and a professional review had been undertaken which included comparisons with other Councils who received more than those at Melton and he therefore could not support a withdrawal.

 

Councillor Holmes felt that although Councillors deserved a pay rise, especially those who were not Chairs or Vice Chairs, she did not consider it the right time.

 

Several Members were in agreement that due to the pandemic and the affect on people’s jobs and income, this was not the right time to consider an increase in allowances and the report should be withdrawn and brought back when the economy improved.

 

Others felt that it was not a pay rise but a reflection of increased responsibility as a result of the changes to the governance structure. 

 

There was a request for a recorded vote by Councillors Carter, Evans and Holmes.

 

On the motion to withdraw the report being put to the vote, there were 8 in favour, 18 against and 2 abstentions therefore the motion was lost. The vote breakdown was as follows:

 

Councillor		For	Against	Abstain
Cllr	Bains	ü
Cllr	Bindloss		ü
Cllr	Browne		ü
Cllr	Carter	ü
Cllr	Chandler	ü
Cllr	Child		ü
Cllr	Cumbers		ü
Cllr	de Burle		ü
Cllr	Douglas		ü
Cllr	Evans	ü
Cllr	Faulkner		ü
Cllr	Fisher		ü
Cllr	Freer-Jones		ü
Cllr	Glancy		ü
Cllr	Graham		ü
Cllr	Hewson	ü
Cllr	Higgins		ü
Cllr	Holmes	ü
Cllr	Illingworth		ü
Cllr	Lumley		ü
Cllr	Orson		ü
Cllr	Pearson		ü
Cllr	Posnett			ü
Cllr	Pritchett	ü
Cllr	Smedley		ü
Cllr	Steadman			ü
Cllr	Wilkinson		ü
Cllr	Wood	ü
Totals		8	18	2

 

Councillors Evans and Holmes felt it was regretable that the motion had been lost and that in these unprecedented times felt there was no justification for an increase in allowances.

 

Several Councillors spoke in support of the motion to approve the recommendations and felt that Members were working harder than ever to support their communities and do the best for their ward and therefore the increase was justified.

 

It was highlighted that Members could reject receipt of the back payment if they were minded to do so.

 

It was noted that a supplementary estimate was needed for the increase and for the backdated payments.

 

On the motion to accept the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, there were 17 in favour, 7 against and 4 abstentions therefore the motion was carried. The vote breakdown was as follows:

 

Councillor		For	Against	Abstain
Cllr	Bains			ü
Cllr	Bindloss	ü
Cllr	Browne	ü
Cllr	Carter		ü
Cllr	Chandler		ü
Cllr	Child	ü
Cllr	Cumbers	ü
Cllr	de Burle	ü
Cllr	Douglas	ü
Cllr	Evans		ü
Cllr	Faulkner	ü
Cllr	Fisher	ü
Cllr	Freer-Jones	ü
Cllr	Glancy	ü
Cllr	Graham			ü
Cllr	Hewson		ü
Cllr	Higgins	ü
Cllr	Holmes		ü
Cllr	Illingworth	ü
Cllr	Lumley	ü
Cllr	Orson	ü
Cllr	Pearson	ü
Cllr	Posnett			ü
Cllr	Pritchett		ü
Cllr	Smedley	ü
Cllr	Steadman			ü
Cllr	Wilkinson	ü
Cllr	Wood		ü
Totals		17	7	4

 

RESOLVED

 

(1)       To APPROVE the recommended changes to the Scheme of Members of Allowances shown in paragraph 10 of the Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel (Appendix A) and detailed below:

 

(a)   the basic allowance (index linked to Officers’ annual  National Joint Council salary award) remains unaltered;

(b)   the Leader of the Council’s SRA be set at 3 x Basic Allowance;

(c)    the Deputy Leader’s SRA be set at 2 x Basic Allowance;

(d)   the Cabinet Members’ SRA be set at 1.25 x Basic Allowance;

(e)   the Scrutiny Chair’s SRA be set at 1.25 x Basic Allowance;

(f)     the Scrutiny Vice-Chair’s SRA be £2,000 pa;

(g)   the Regulatory Chairs’ and Vice-Chairs’ SRA remain unaltered;

(h)   the Leader of the Opposition’s SRA be £2,000 pa;

(i)     the site visit allowance be £35.00 per visit;

(j)     car mileage be set at the HMRC rate of 45p per mile;

(k)    the hourly rate for carers allowance be set at £10.50 per hour with an annual maximum claim of £1500;

(l)     the allowances for Independent Person (£491 pa) and Parish Representative (£318 pa) be removed;

(m)  the proposed revised special responsibility allowances be backdated to the start of the 2019/20 municipal year.

 

(2)       To APPROVE a supplementary estimate of £11,410 from the Corporate Priorities Reserve to cover the cost of backdating the proposed revised special responsibility allowances to the start of the 2019/20 Municipal Year.

 

(3)       To APPROVE a supplementary estimate of £13,060  from the Corporate Priorities Reserve to cover the additional costs of the proposals in 2020/21.

 

(4)       To NOTE that the Member Allowances Scheme will be amended to reflect the changes approved at this meeting and be incorporated as part of the Council’s Constitution.