Issue - meetings

Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel

The Chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) introduced the report as circulated.

At the request of the council, the IRP has considered a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) for the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Cabinet Housing Committee, and looking at this in more detail, found that there is indeed a significant responsibility on the Chair and Vice-Chair which they felt is very much aligned to the Chair and Vice-Chair of Overview and Scrutiny.  The report therefore recommends an SRA of £4463 for the Chair and  £1517 for the Vice-Chair, recognising that this is a new governance structure and therefore requesting the opportunity to review the situation in 12 months’ time.

The Leader wished to put on record her thanks to the IRP.

In response to a question, the Chair of the IRP confirmed that member representations had been received as part of the review of the basic allowance, and emphasised that evidence from Councillors was invaluable.

RESOLVED (unanimously) THAT

1. the following recommendations of the IRP be accepted:

a)    That a 3% increase be applied to Member’s Allowances basic and Special Responsibility Allowances from 1 April 2025 following the National Joint Council for Local Government Services pay award andequal to an equivalent percentage increase of the £1,290 flat rate increase on a Grade I employee role.

b)   That the Chair of the Cabinet Housing Committee be awarded a Special Responsibility Allowance of £4,463 to be backdated to the 1 September 2024.

c)    That the Vice Chair of the Cabinet Housing Committee be awarded a Special Responsibility Allowance of £1,517 to be backdated to the 1 September 2024.

d)   That the Special Responsibility Allowances for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Cabinet Housing Committee be reviewed by the Independent Remuneration Panel in October 2025.

2.    the role profile of the Chair of Cabinet Housing Committee at Appendix 3 of the report be approved for inclusion within the Constitution.