REPORT OF THE

CHAIRMAN OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE

COUNCILLORS' ALLOWANCES

1 At their meeting on 25 July 2002, the County Council agreed seven of the eight recommendations on Councillors' allowances put forward by the Standards Committee. The issue concerning allowances for opposition spokesmen on the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority however was referred to the three political group leaders to meet and suggest a way forward.

2 The three political group leaders duly met, together with the Chairman of the Standards Committee and they agreed that, in line with the recommendation of the Independent Remuneration Panel, opposition spokesmen on the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority should be paid an allowance at the same rate as the opposition spokesmen on the County Council's Policy Review Committees providing that they are Members of the County Council. They also agreed with the Independent Remuneration Panels recommendation that the allowance should be backdated to the 1 September 2001 and then increased in line with inflation as with the other allowances.

3. This policy needs to be agreed with the other two constituent authorities, Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils, as at the present time the County Council would be responsible for payment of the allowance due to the Liberal Democrat's spokesman and Portsmouth City Council for the allowance payable to the Labour Group spokesman. The Leader of the County Council has undertaken to consult with his counterparts in the two Cities in order to establish whether they would support this approach.

4. An issue has however recently arisen nationally over whether local authorities can under the current regulations require allowances to be paid for any period before they are agreed by the Council. This is an ongoing matter which has been taken up by the Local Government Association. In these circumstances although this allowance can be paid from the date of the Council meeting it would not be appropriate at the present time to backdate the allowance to 1 September 2001. If the legal position is clarified and this is permissible the retrospective element of the allowance can be paid at that time and members will be kept informed of developments.

RECOMMENDATION

(i) That, subject to formal agreement from Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils, approval be given to the payment of special responsibility allowances to the opposition spokesmen on the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority, to be paid at the same rate as the allowances for the opposition spokesmen on the County Council's Policy Review Committees (ie Liberal Democrat Group £5,000, Labour Group £2,500) providing that they are Members of the County Council and that this allowance be increased in line with inflation as with the other allowances.

(ii) That the payment of the allowance take effect from 19 September 2002 with the proviso that if legal opinion subsequently confirms that it is permissible to backdate the allowance to 1 September 2001, the allowance be paid from that date.

(iii) That the position be reviewed when the Government decision on precepting for fire and rescue authorities is announced, or when Regulations relating to Members' allowances for fire authorities are issued, whichever is the sooner

P.A. PIERCE

Chairman, Standards Committee