URL: https://rother.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1727

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: To consider the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel's 2024 Review in respect of the Members Allowance Scheme for 2025/26.

Content: In accordance with the Members Allowances Regulations 2003, before the Council could make any amendments to its allowance scheme, the Council had to have regard to the recommendations made by an Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP).  In February 2024, the Council set its allowances to apply for the current civic year only (2024-25) and agreed no increase, but requested that the IRP be reconvened each subsequent autumn / winter to carry out a review of the Basic Allowance and make recommendations for the allowances to apply for each year of the current administration.   The IRP reconvened in November 2024 and received relevant information to inform their review and comments from elected Members; a copy of their full report and recommendations was attached at Appendix A to the report, together with a table of the recommended increases at Appendix B.  As there had been a change to the decision-making structure (the separation of the Audit and Standards Committee), the IRP had also been tasked with considering the Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA) to be paid to the two separate Chairs of the recently formed stand-alone Audit and Standards Committees.    The IRP had made a total of four recommendations as follows:   ·           the Basic Allowance be increased by 3% for 2025/26 in line with the 2024 staff pay award; ·           the SRA for the Chair of the Audit Committee be set as a 0.33 ratio of the Basic Allowance; ·           the SRA for the Chair of the Standards Committee be set as a 0.22 ratio of the Basic Allowance; and ·           the SRA for the Chair of the Human Resources Committee be reduced from a 0.33 ratio to a 0.22 ratio of the Basic Allowance.   The IRP had acknowledged that whilst the Council was still in a financially challenging climate, if an increase to the Basic Allowance was not agreed for a second year, the Basic Allowance would fall further behind what other local authorities paid.  This would result in a more politically challenging position in the future to agree larger increases to align rates with other local authorities.  The budget estimate for 2025/26 was sufficient to cover the increase.   The Leader of the Council acknowledged the work of the IRP and thanked the Panel for their thorough report; full Council would consider the recommendations and agree the scheme in February.   RECOMMENDED: That:   1)     the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel be received and determined; and   2)     the Chief Executive be authorised to amend the Members’ Allowance Scheme within the Constitution, following approval by full Council of the allowances to be paid. 

Date of Decision: January 6, 2025