Agenda item

The Executive Leader to present a report by the Elections and Democratic Services Manager summarising the conclusions of the Independent Remuneration Panel following their recent review of Members Allowances.

The Managing Director presented a report by the Elections and Democratic Services Manager summarising the conclusions of the Independent Remuneration Panel following their recent review of Members Allowances. (Copies of which are appended in the Minute Book).

Having been invited to speak, Councillor S J Conboy, Executive Leader, indicated that she had misgivings in relation to some of the recommendations given that the proposed increase was beyond that of the 4% pay award made to Council Staff. With this in mind, she tabled an amendment (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book). The amendment proposed –

‘The replacement of recommendations a), b) and j) and the addition of recommendation k) with: -

a)  that the level of basic allowance payable for all members of Huntingdonshire District Council be £4,918 per annum (an increase of 4% on the current rate).

b)  that the levels of Special Responsibility Allowances be set in accordance with the basic allowance specified in a) above and the calculations as previously applied by the Independent Remuneration Panel, now revised, as detailed in the attached Appendix.

j)  the indices to be used for indexation purposes to enable the Members' Allowances Scheme to be adjusted for a period from May 2024 of up to three years.

-

k)  that the proposed allowance for Assistant Deputy Executive Leader be not paid until this role has been formally established within the Council’s Constitution’.

Councillor Conboy then moved the amendments, which were duly seconded by Councillor T D Sanderson.

Following debate and being put to the vote, the amendments were declared to be CARRIED.

Councillor D Keane then moved the following amendment to the recommendations which were duly seconded by Councillor T Alban –

‘In the light of the current financial pressures on both Huntingdonshire District Council and the general public, this Council resolves:

1. To note the report of the IRP

2. To freeze Members Allowances at current 2022/23 levels

3. To revisit this decision after the Annual Council meeting in 2024.’

In debating the matter, a number of Councillors spoke in support of the proposed amendment.

Councillor S J Corney and Councillor C Lowe emphasised the difficulties in voting for an increase in members allowances in the current economic climate and the cost-of-living crisis. Councillor J A Gray commented on the poor quality of the report and the idiosyncrasy of some of the recommendations which did not reflect the evolution of the workload which had taken place since the last review. Councillor P Hodgson-Jones commented on the need for Special Responsibility Allowances to reflect the respective and relative responsibilities of the postholders and not simply be a notional calculation.

Councillor R J West re-iterated that the situation should be reconsidered in a year’s time, with a new report which better met the Council’s requirements. This was supported by Councillor Keane who called upon the leadership to undertake a more thorough review.

Councillor T D Alban suggested that it was not the right time to be increasing allowances, less than a year after Members had fought for election to the District Council. He also reiterated that allowances were not a salary and therefore should not be subject to the same percentage increase considerations as members of staff. Given that the District Council had recognised the Cost of Living Crisis in motions at a previous Council meeting, it was in his opinion that the matter should be reconsidered in a years’ time when the economic climate might be in a different position

Councillor S Ferguson referred to the absence of any significant increases within the basic allowance during the previous 10 years under the previous administration and the negative impact which that had had on current figures. Councillor Davenport-Ray reflected upon the need to encourage members of the public from all walks of life to stand for election to public office and suggested that any proposal to freeze the allowance scheme would be insulting to those residents who wished to stand for election but could not afford to do so. Councillor Pitt reiterated that it was possible for him to undertake his roles on the Cabinet and as Mayor of St Neots because of the Allowance Scheme and that it was important to have an appropriate reasonable scheme with moderate increases built in.

In also speaking against the alternative amendment, Councillor S Wakeford reiterated that the review of Members Allowances had been undertaken by an Independent Panel and that the Joint Administration had simply sought to apply a principle to limit any increase in allowances to match any increase in allowances to those received by or staff. This was reiterated by the Deputy Executive Leader who reminded the Council that the amendment was proposing an increase lower than that recommended by the Independent Panel which was still substantially below the rate of inflation. He reminded Council, that the majority of the those who stand for election do so because they are committed to public service and that there need to be needed to be a realistic system in place to compensate individuals for this.

Following debate and being put to the vote, the amendment was declared to be LOST.

On the Motion as amended being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED

1.  That the Managing Director be authorised to prepare a new scheme of Members Allowances to come into effect on 1st April 2023 to include the following changes and to take any consequential action arising therefrom:-

a)  a level of basic allowance payable for all members of Huntingdonshire District Council be £4,918 per annum (an increase of 4% on the current rate).

b)  that the levels of Special Responsibility Allowances be set in accordance with the basic allowance specified in a) above and the calculations as previously applied by the Independent Remuneration Panel, now revised, as detailed in the attached Appendix;

c)  the continuation of One Special Responsibility Allowance Rule with the exception to this rule being all councillor representatives on the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Board, Overview and Scrutiny Committees and the Audit and Governance Committee, including Substitute Members and all Members of the Development and Management Committee, with the exception of the Chair, Vice-Chair and Cabinet Member nominations;

d)  the continuation of payment of the Independent Person and Deputy Independent Person allowance of £1,051 and £525 respectively per annum;

e)   the continuation of the terms and conditions and the rates payable for travel based on the mileage rates published by His Majesty's Revenue and Customs for reimbursement of mileage incurred in undertaking approved duties;

f)  the continuation of arrangements in that subsistence is not payable, with the exception of ‘special circumstances’ such as overnight stays;

g)  the inclusion of a Child and Dependent Carer’s Allowance based at cost upon the production of receipts and in the case of specialist care a requirement of medical evidence that this type of care be required, the allowance should have no monthly maximum claim when undertaking Approved duties;

h)  the active promotion of the Child and Dependent Carer’s Allowance to prospective and new councillors both before and following an election to assist in supporting greater diversity of councillor representation;

i)  support for a policy of parental leave for councillors;

j)  the indices to be used for indexation purposes to enable the Members' Allowances Scheme to be adjusted from May 2024 for a period of up to three years; and

k)  that the proposed allowance for Assistant Deputy Executive Leader be not paid until this role has been formally established within the Council’s Constitution.

2)  that, upon the coming into effect of the revised Members Allowance Scheme with effect from 1st April 2023, the existing scheme be revoked.