Agenda item

Council is asked to consider the report and the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

Council received a report which set out the recommendation of the

Independent Remuneration Panel in relation to the Members’ Allowances

Scheme for 2024/25.

The Authority is required to have in place a Members’ Allowance Scheme and

is required to have regard to the recommendations of the Independent

Remuneration Panel when determining such a Scheme.

It was moved by Councillor Carl Johnson and seconded by Councillor Anthony McMullen that Council:

(1)  agree the Authority’s Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2024/25; and

(2) agree that the Independent Remuneration Panel undertake an in-depth

review of the Authority’s Members Allowances Scheme and that Council

receives and considers a report in July 2024 following the completion of

that review.

An amendment to the report’s recommendations (pages 45 – 46) was moved by Councillor Liam Bones and seconded by Councillor Lewis Bartoli.

The amended section of the report therefore read:

1.2 Recommendation(s):

It is recommended that Council:

(1) agree the Authority’s Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2024/25; and

(2) agree that the Independent Remuneration Panel undertake an in-depth review of the Authority’s Members Allowances Scheme and that Council receives and considers a report in January 2025 following the completion of that review.

Council believes during a cost of living crisis members allowances should not be increased and therefore accepts the committees recommendation to keep allowances as they are but asks that the committee defer their meeting from July 2024 to the usual time next year, committing members to an allowance freeze for the duration of 24/25.

A named vote on the amendment was requested by two members present.

Votes for the Amendment:

Councillors L Bartoli, L Bones, J Johnsson, C Johnston, I McAlpine, P McIntyre, O Scargill, J Wallace.

Votes against the Amendment:

Councillors: G Bell, L Bell, S Burtenshaw, K Clark, D Cox, S Cox, N Craven, J Cruddas, E Darke, C Davis, D Drummond, P Earley, S Graham, I Grayson, M Hall, J Harrison, A Holdsworth, J Hunter, V Jamieson, C Johnson, H Johnson, J Kirwan, F Lott, W Lott, L Marshall, A McMullen, J Mudzingwa, T Mulvenna, M Murphy, T Neira, A Newman, P Oliver, R O’Keefe, J O'Shea, S Phillips, E Parker-Leonard, B Pickard, N Redfearn, W Samuel, J Shaw, A Spowart, M Thirlaway, J Walker, M Wilson.

The proposed amendment to the report’s recommendations was rejected by 44 votes to 8 votes.

Councillor Carl Johnson, as the original mover, agreed to a partial acceptance of an amendment to the report’s recommendations, as below:

1.2 Recommendation(s):

It is recommended that Council:

(1) agree the Authority’s Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2024/25; and

(2) agree that the Independent Remuneration Panel undertake an in-depth review of the Authority’s Members Allowances Scheme and that Council receives and considers a report in July 2024 following the completion of that review.

Council believes during a cost of living crisis members allowances should not be increased and therefore accepts the committee’s recommendation to keep allowances as they are but asks that the committee defer their meeting from July 2024 to the usual time next year, committing members to an allowance freeze for the duration of 24/25.

A named vote on the report’s original recommendations, with the partial proposed amendment, was requested by two members present.

The partial proposed amendment was voted for unanimously.