Agenda item

Independent Renumeration Panel response to the Procedures Committee comments will be circulated prior to the meeting.

Members discussed the Independent Renumeration Panel recommendations.

They raised the following points:-

·       There was not a need for recommendation 1 it was negated by recommendation 2

·       The Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chairs should report to Annual Council in May 2023 on the work they have undertaken in 22/23 to enable the new Council to review the Scrutiny Structure and work of the Scrutiny committees

·       The recommendation for the Chair and Deputy Chair of Council should not be split between allowance and support budget; work should be undertaken within 12 months to undertake a comparison of this allowance with Councils in Devon

·       A review of the Taxi Policy should be undertaken and added to the Executive Forward Plan

·       An alternative tiered approach to the Group Leaders allowance could be an option rather than a threshold of a minimum of five group members to trigger a Group Leaders allowance

·       The current Standards Chair allowance does not reflect the current work and time commitment of the role

·       The travel and subsistence should be reviewed to encourage sustainable travel with reference to the allowance for cycling and train travel

·       Parental leave policy would need further review to include foster cares, paternity entitlement and how to address confidentially with regards to the six-month attendance legislation

·       The approved duties should include attending a Teignbridge District Council meeting only not Town and Parish meetings

RECOMMENDED to Full Council to accept the recommendations below:-

1)    That the basic allowance continue to be upgraded in line with the percentage increase for LGE staff pay award for the previous year. However, for instances of a flat rate award (e.g. £1,925 each to all staff) the increase for Members Allowances be equivalent to the average percentage increase for the LGE staff pay award;

2)    That there is no increase in the special responsibility allowance for the Leader and the Deputy Leader of the Council; 

3)    That there is no increase to the special responsibility allowances for Executive Members and the Executive Member without Portfolio;

4)    That there be no increase in the special responsibility allowances for the Chairs and Vice Chairs of Overview and Scrutiny Committees and a  the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chairs should report to Annual Council in May 2023 on the work they have undertaken in 22/23 to enable the new Council to review the Scrutiny Structure and work of the Scrutiny committees;

5)    The special responsibility allowances for the Chair and Deputy Chair of Council remain as the status quo and a review should be undertaken within 12 months to ascertain what Councils in Devon do in respect of this allowance and expenses;

6)    The special responsibility allowances for the Chair and Deputy Chair of Planning remain as the status quo;

7)    The special responsibility allowances for the Chair of Audit Scrutiny Committee remain as the status quo;

8)    That no special responsibility allowance continue for the Vice Chair of Audit Scrutiny Committee;

9)    That the special responsibility allowances for the Chair and Deputy Chair of Licensing and Regulatory remain as the status quo. A review of the taxi policy should be undertaken;

10)The special responsibility allowance for the Chair of Standards should be the same as the Chair of Audit Scrutiny Committee;

11)That no special responsibility allowance for the Vice Chair of Standards Committee as per the Vice Chair of Audit Scrutiny Committee;

12)The Independent Person(s) and independent co-opted committee persons continue to be paid £50 for a half and £100 per full day;

13)That the principle that any member qualifying for more than one SRA is paid the higher rate allowance only be retained;

14)That travel and subsistence payments for councillors be as set out in Appendix A to this report with a review to be undertake to encourage sustainable travel;

15)That the present dependent care provisions in the Scheme be endorsed;

16)That the Parental Leave policy attached at Appendix B to this report be adopted by the Council with a review of this policy to be undertaken which will look at including foster care leave, parental leave and the requirement to ensure confidentially with regards to the legislation for the six-month rule; and

17)That the present list of approved duties within the scheme de adopted with the addition of a suitable clause to enable a councillor, attending a Teignbridge District Council as an observer rather than as a member of the body, to claim relevant expenses.