The Mayor advised that the Monitoring Officer had received and accepted proposed amendments for the recommendations contained within the report from Councillor J. Kent and Councillor Gledhill, details of which had been circulated electronically to all members in advance and tabled at the meeting.

 

Prior to the meeting a typographical error in the printed report was brought to the attention of Members, as there were two recommendations numbered as 1.2. For clarification the second recommendation 1.2 in the printed report was subsequently referred to as 1.2.1.

 

The Mayor advised Members on the process for dealing with both amendments at the meeting.

 

Councillor J. Kent, the Leader of the Council first proposed his amendments to the recommendations contained within the report which included:

 

·         To insert ‘i) Portfolio Holders’ at recommendation 1.2.1

·         To delete recommendation 1.4 in the printed report, which was ‘The SRA for portfolio holders is increased to 130% of the Basic Allowance or £11,275.’

 

Upon being put to the vote, Members voted unanimously in favour of the proposed amendments detailed above, whereupon the Mayor declared these to be carried.

 

Councillor J. Kent, the Leader of the Council, then introduced the report which set out the recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel following its review of Members Allowances, which was undertaken every 4 years.

 

Councillor J. Kent remarked that although the increased allowance for Cabinet Members would be welcome, it was not reasonable for the additional allowance to be accepted in light of the budget savings faced and the impact on public services. He further observed that he felt it was appropriate the Leader of the UKIP group, as a group that had more than 4 members but was not the main opposition group, should be paid a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) of 25% of the Basic Allowance for the time dedicated.

 

Councillor Gledhill agreed that no Members needed an increase to their allowances during a time when the authority needed to deliver budget savings but remarked that he found the report to be contradictory. He further advised that he was unhappy how the remuneration had been calculated and that he wanted a full review of the support provided to Members to be undertaken in order to demonstrate value for money and provide clarity to Members, which included the supply of laptops, printers, paper, ink cartridges and support from back office Member Services staff.

 

As a result, Councillor Gledhill proposed his amendment to recommendation 1.2 in the printed report, which was seconded by Councillor Hebb, which read as follows:

 

“That the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee carries out a full review of support to members to ensure more open and transparent use of public funds.”

 

Councillor J. Kent opposed the suggested amendment, which if agreed would overturn the independent panel’s recommendations, as he felt it was inappropriate for the Council to instruct an independent panel to undertake a review and determine recommendations, which could then be disregarded and subjected to an internal Overview and Scrutiny process led by Members. He further explained that he felt it would be inappropriate for the Council Tax Payer, who faced cuts to their own household budget and services, to fund Councillors ICT equipment and printing.

 

In response Councillor Gledhill explained that it was not his expectation that Council Tax Payers should fund Councillors laptops and printing, but rather that a review of support provided to Members should be undertaken to demonstrate value for money and transparency.

 

Councillor J. Kent observed that there could only be two outcomes of an Overview and Scrutiny Review, either keeping the process the same or overruling the recommendation of independent panel which would result in Members printing, postage and stationery costs being borne by the Council Tax Payer. 

 

Councillor Halden declared a Point of Order and asked Councillor J. Kent to withdraw his comment, as he felt a review would be beneficial to identify what Member support worked well and what could be improved, in order to demonstrate value for money on contracts and operational matters.

 

A brief debate took place on the level of support provided to all Members, particularly in relation to Member Services staff.

 

Councillor Coxshall explained that he was concerned that the report of the independent panel confused matters further, in particular relation to the proper conduct of Members in the use of Council stationery and postage and whether Member Services Officers should assist with such requests.

 

Councillor B. Rice felt that the matter was being unnecessarily overcomplicated and that it was morally correct that Members should not be accepting an increase in allowances.

 

Councillor Speight echoed that the report had been compiled by an independent panel and felt that their recommendations should be endorsed.

 

A number of Members felt that the debate had been unnecessarily extended and would not help promote a positive public image of Elected Members.

 

Councillor J. Kent suggested that the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee could investigate the matter further if the Chair, Councillor Hebb, wished.

 

Councillor Coxshall declared a Point of Order and felt that a vote should be undertaken, following which Councillor Gledhill proposed that he would withdraw his proposed amendment if the original recommendation 1.2, as printed in the report, was also removed.

 

Members indicated their agreement for recommendation 1.2 to be withdrawn, along with the proposed amendment that had been submitted by Councillor Gledhill.

 

Upon being put to the vote, Members voted unanimously in favour of the recommendations, which included Councillor J. Kent’s earlier amendments, whereupon the Mayor declared these to be carried.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.         There is no change to the current Basic Allowance payable to Thurrock councillors (remaining at £8,670 per annum for Thurrock Councillors). 

 

2.         There is no change to the Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) for the following positions:

 

a) The Leader of the Council

b) The Deputy Leader of the Council

c) The Chair of Planning Committee

d) The Vice-chair of Planning Committee

e) The Chairs of Overview and Scrutiny Committees

f)  The Vice-chairs of Overview and Scrutiny Committees

g) The Chair of Licensing Committee

h) The Vice-chair of Licensing Committee

i) The Chair of Standards and Audit Committee

j) The Leader of the Main Opposition Group

k) The Deputy Leader of the Main Opposition Group

i)  Portfolio Holders

 

3.         The Allowances Scheme be made clear that the qualification of 16 seats (or one third of the seats on Council) is required for a group to attract an allowance for the Deputy Leader of the Main Opposition Group. 

 

4.         Leaders of other opposition groups, which have more than four members but are not the main opposition group, should be paid an SRA of 25% of the Basic Allowance (£2,165) and that this is added to the Allowances Scheme.

 

5.         The Chair of the Health and Well-being Board does not receive an SRA.

 

6.         The Allowance Scheme continues to prohibit the receipt of more than one SRA regardless of the number of remunerated posts a Member may hold.

 

7.         The allowance for ordinary co-optees on the Standards and Audit Committee remain unchanged.

 

8.         The allowance for statutory co-optees on overview and scrutiny committees is reduced to £260 per annum in line with Southend Borough Council.

 

9.         The Civic Allowances for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor remain unchanged.

 

10.       Allowances for the following remain unchanged:

 

a)  Dependants Carers’ Allowance

b)  Subsistence Allowance

c)  Travelling Allowances

 

11.       The remuneration for the Independent Persons in relation to disciplinary action against a statutory officer remain at £500 with the Panel reviewing this in later years. 

 

12.       Basic Allowances, SRAs and co-optees’ allowances are indexed to the annual percentage salary increase.

 

13.       Mileage allowance is adjusted in line with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs rates.

 

14.       Subsistence Allowance to be indexed to the same percentage increase that may be applied by the Council to officer subsistence allowances.

 

15.       Child Care rates are indexed to the national minimum wage applicable to the age of the carer.