Agenda item

The Managing Director to present the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

(At 8.18pm, during consideration of this item, Councillor Mrs P A Jordan joined the meeting).

The Managing Director presented a report by the Elections and Democratic Services Manager, to which was appended the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) summarising the outcome of the interim review of the Members' Allowances Scheme by the Independent Remuneration Panel.

Attention was drawn to the establishment of the Combined Authority in 2018 and enhanced demands on District Council appointments and their commitments. Members were appraised of details of the Independent Remuneration Panel that met on 9th and 10th June 2021 and attention was drawn to the final report that had a net effect on the Members’ Allowance budget of an increase in the overall budget of £6,093 if the proposals were implemented to take effect from 2nd June 2021. The proposals also offered a short-term solution that would be subject to further review at the full review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme scheduled for review in 2022.

Councillor Mrs S J Conboy, although in agreement to the extra work that was imposed on Members appointed as representatives to the Combined Authority, suggested that as a full review would be undertaken the following year the matter should be deferred for a year.

In response Councillor D B Dew commented as a current representative on the Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee and explained that the work involved large Agendas and reports, with long meetings and working groups established and if Members were expected to step up to these roles it was necessary that they be recompensed for their time. He also explained that the District Council was in the minority of the other constituent authorities that had either included an allowance in their scheme for their Members or the matter was under review.

In reflecting on the comments raised by the previous Members, the Executive Leader, Councillor R Fuller, felt that by deferring a decision would not be appropriate and intimated that irrespective of the decision on the report he would continue in his role on the Combined Authority whether they were approved or not. The Executive Leader also considered it appropriate for a remuneration to be in place for all Members appointed as representatives to support them in their work and explained that their had been a saving on the Members’ Allowance budget as he had retained a Portfolio and the Cabinet had also not appointed additional Members.

Subject to the removal of recommendation (d) of the report now submitted and voting thereon, Councillor L W McGuire moved the recommendations and was duly seconded by Councillor K Gulson and the Council

RESOLVED

  that with effect from the 2nd June 2021

(a)  the Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) paid to the District Council’s Executive leader be reduced to £14,813 and the establishment of a new separate SRA of £5,100 to be paid to the Huntingdonshire District Council appointee to the Combined Authority Board;

(b)  the Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) paid to the District Council’s Deputy Executive Leader be reduced to £11,110 and the establishment of a new separate SRA of £1,685 to be paid to the substitute appointment to the Combined Authority Board;

(c)  the Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) of £946 be paid to those members of the District Council who are appointed to the Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Audit and Governance Committee;

(d)  the non-payment of a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) to the substitute District Council appointees to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny and Audit and Governance Committees;

(e)  the Special Responsibilities recommended for the Council’s appointees to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority be exempt from the one SRA rule which is currently in place in the Huntingdonshire District Council’s Members Allowances scheme; and

(f)  the Special Responsibility Allowances for Huntingdonshire District Council Members appointed to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and its committees be indexed to the locally agreed cost of living percentage increase in Huntingdonshire District Council local government staff salaries and implemented from the date of the annual meeting for the same year that it applies to staff, up until the end of 2021/22 financial year, which is when the current authority for indexation expires.