Issue - meetings

To consider the appointment of a Panel to undertake a review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme to apply from April 2018.

RESOLVED:

(a)             That an Independent Remuneration Panel be appointed, with the members to be recruited through a process, to include interviewing potential members and making recommendations to Cabinet, to be agreed by the Executive Head of Governance and Regulation in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Chairman of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Panel; and

(b)             That no change be made to the Terms of Reference of the Independent Remuneration Panel, as attached as Appendix 1 to Report Item 5 to the Cabinet.

The Cabinet considered the appointment of an Independent Remuneration Panel to review the Members’ Allowances Scheme, as required by the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003.  The Terms of Reference of the Independent Remuneration Panel were attached as Appendix 1 to Report Item 5 to the Cabinet.

The Cabinet considered whether to re-appoint the current Panel, or to amend the membership.  Members were advised of the experience and expertise offered by each of the current Panel members.  The Cabinet considered that it would be timely to bring new perspectives to this issue.  An appointments process should be initiated to recruit the members of the Panel.

In addition to reviewing this Council’s Members’ Allowances Scheme, town and parish councils would be offered the opportunity for the Panel to review their schemes.  Any local council taking advantage of that offer would be expected to meet the costs involved.

RESOLVED:

(a)             That an Independent Remuneration Panel be appointed, with the members to be recruited through a process, to include interviewing potential members and making recommendations to Cabinet, to be agreed by the Executive Head of Governance and Regulation in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Chairman of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Panel; and

(b)             That no change be made to the Terms of Reference of the Independent Remuneration Panel, as attached as Appendix 1 to Report Item 5 to the Cabinet.