Report of the

Governance Committee

Part I

MEMBERS' ALLOWANCES SCHEME 2006/07

The Committee has considered the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel, details of which all members of the Council have received previously .

The Committee was mindful that accepting the Panel's recommendations would result in increases in some special responsibility allowances well above inflation. This was largely due to the Independent Panel's recommendation to return to a formulaic approach to the setting of these allowances. The Committee did not consider that such an approach was necessary taking into account the cost implications on this occasion and the need for a clear and simple approach to the review of members' allowances. The Committee preferred a straightforward percentage increase, noting that increases had previously been linked to the level of the national local government staff pay award. The Independent Remuneration Panel's recommendation was to tie the increase to the September Retail Price Index, at 2.7%. The Committee recommends such an increase to the Council but, at the same time, requests the Independent Panel, for their review next year, to consider reinstating the link to the increase in the national annual pay award for local government staff.

The Committee otherwise largely accepted the recommendations of the Panel, noting that, whilst the Panel had recommended special responsibility allowances for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Governance Committee, these would not be taken up as the post-holders already receive higher allowances through holding other offices which attracted a higher special responsibility allowance. The Committee was concerned, however, that the Independent Remuneration Panel, whilst accepting that the Chairmanship and Vice-Chairmanship of the Regulatory Committee carried with them significant responsibilities such that these allowances should be aligned with those for Policy Review Committee Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen, had not recognised the importance of the contribution of the minority groups to the effectiveness of the Regulatory Committee. Members considered that the role of the minority groups' spokespersons was crucial in ensuring that all members of the Regulatory Committee were kept fully informed and well briefed in the quasi-judicial context of the Regulatory Committee's business. The Committee accordingly recommend that minority groups' spokespersons on the Regulatory Committee should receive a special responsibility allowance equivalent to that for Policy Review Committee minority groups' spokespersons.

The detailed allowances in accordance with this Committee's recommendations are set out in Appendix 1 to this report.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.That all basic and special responsibility allowances for members of the County Council be increased by 2.7% for 2006/07 as shown in Appendix 1;

2.That the formula linking the basic allowance and special responsibility allowances recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel, be not reinstated;

3.That the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and minority groups' spokespersons of the Regulatory Committee receive allowances equal to those paid to the Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen and minority group spokespersons of the Policy Review Committees;

4.That the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Governance Committee receive an allowance equal to that of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Standards Committee;

5.That the basic allowance for co-opted members of the Children's Services Policy Review Committee be increased by 2.7% as shown in Appendix 1;

6.That the basic allowance for independent members of the Standards Committee be increased by 2.7% as shown in Appendix 1;

7.That the basic allowance for the Independent Remuneration Panel members be increased by 2.7% as shown in Appendix 1;

8.That the Independent Remuneration Panel, when considering the Members' Allowance Scheme for 2007/08, be asked to consider reinstating the percentage increase link to the annual national local government staff pay award rather than the Retail Price Index.

Recommended Members' Allowances 2006/07 Appendix 1

Grey boxes denote allowances not actually paid because the current postholder already receives a higher special responsibility allowance.