Agenda item

The report presents the Members' Allowance Scheme 2021/22 for final consideration before being presented to Council.

The Democratic Services Manager introduced the report which presented the Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2021-22. It was explained that the Council was required to approve a Members’ Allowances Scheme annually and that the recommendations of the Standards Committee would be presented to Full Council for approval on 18 March 2021. It was noted that, at the last meeting, the Standards Committee had indicated that it may be appropriate to remove the maximum 2% pay increase that was index linked to local government officers’ pay and that this issue would be discussed with political groups.

It was added that the Members’ Allowances Scheme 2021-22 would require some changes to descriptions if the proposals to reconstitute the Regulatory Committee as a Strategic Planning Committee, with a Planning Sub-Committee, and a Licensing Committee, with a Licensing Sub-Committee, were agreed. This would mean that sections referring to the Chair of Regulatory Committee, under Band 2B of the scheme, would be amended to refer to the Chair of Strategic Planning Committee and sections referring to the Vice-Chair of Regulatory Committee, under Band 1B of the scheme, would be amended to refer to the Chair of Licensing Committee.

The Chair noted that, under the existing Members’ Allowances Scheme, any increases to the basic allowance were index linked to local government officer pay increases; this meant that there would only be an increase in members’ allowances if there was an increase in local government officers’ pay and that any increase in member allowances was capped at a maximum of 2%. It was clarified that index linking was only relevant to members’ basic allowances and not to Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) for additional duties.

The Chair explained that the Standards Committee could decide to continue with the existing Members’ Allowances Scheme or to remove the index linking between members’ basic allowances and local government officer pay for 2021-22. It was noted that, as the Members’ Allowances Scheme was considered each year, this issue could be revisited next year.

The Committee noted that there was unlikely to be an increase in local government officers’ pay this year but that it was important to ensure that members’ basic allowances were not increased for 2021-22. It was also reported that, following some discussion with political groups, there was a general consensus amongst members that it would be inappropriate for there to be any increases to members’ basic allowances this year.

The Committee considered that the general principle to index link any potential increases in members’ basic allowances to local government officers’ pay with a maximum percentage increase was appropriate in most years. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the current financial climate, it was agreed that it would not be appropriate for there to be any increases in members’ basic allowances for 2021-22. The Committee agreed that members’ basic allowances would not be index linked to local government officers’ pay in 2021-22 and that this provision would be removed from the Members’ Allowances Scheme 2021-22. It was confirmed that this would be revisited in the Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2022-23.

RESOLVED

1.    That, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the current financial climate, members’ basic allowances would not be index linked to local government officers’ pay in 2021-22 and that this provision would be removed from the Members’ Allowances Scheme 2021-22.

2.    To agree the Members’ Allowances Scheme, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, subject to the amendment above that there would be no increase in members’ basic allowances for 2021-22.

3.    To recommend that the Members’ Allowances Scheme, as amended and subject to any changes of description relating to the Regulatory Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, and Licensing Committee, be adopted by Full Council on 18 March 2021.