County Council 20 November 2008 Appendix
Members Allowances Scheme 2009-10
A Survey of Members.
AA |
All members of the County Council were asked a number of questions relating to the recommendations made in the Independent Remuneration Panel report on Councillor's allowances. They were asked to agree, disagree, defer the decision until after the County Council elections in 2009, or don't know. The fieldwork period was from 4 November -14 November 2008. 52 members out of 78 responded to the survey. The results are presented numerically.
Section 1 : Basic Allowance (SRA) |
Q1. |
Do you agree or disagree with the IRP Recommendation, that there should be no increase in the Basic Allowance for Members of the County Council which is currently £11,565? Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
12 |
37 |
3 |
0 |
Q2. |
Do you agree or disagree with the IRP Recommendation, that there should be no increase in the Basic Allowance for Co-opted Members of the Children and Young People Select Committee which is currently £650? Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
22 |
22 |
1 |
7 |
Section 2 : Special Responsibility Allowances |
Q3. |
Do you agree or disagree that the SRA of the Leader should be increased from £27,913 to £34,695 on a phased basis of £1,696 pa beginning in April 2009? Base sample 52. |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
33 |
15 |
2 |
2 |
Q4. |
Do you agree or disagree that the SRA for Cabinet Members should be increased to £20,817 from £16,747 on a phased basis of £1,018 pa starting in April 2009? Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
27 |
22 |
3 |
0 |
Q5. Do you agree or disagree that the Deputy Leader role continues to be combined with a Cabinet member role and paid the same as other Cabinet Members?
Base sample 50
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
43 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
Section 3 : Political Group Leaders & Select Committee Chairmen |
Q6. |
Do you agree or disagree that the SRAs for the following opposition leaders should remain unchanged? |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know | |
Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group at £14,275. Base sample 52
|
38 |
9 |
4 |
1 |
Leader of the Labour Group at £6,847. Base sample 52 |
38 |
8 |
4 |
2 |
Q7. |
Do you agree or disagree that the SRA for the Select Committee Chairmen should remain unchanged at £11,165? Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
39 |
10 |
2 |
1 |
Q8. |
Do you agree or disagree that the SRA for the Select Committee Vice-Chairmen should be withdrawn as soon as possible? Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
15 |
34 |
2 |
1 |
Section 4 : Specific Committees |
Q9. |
Do you agree or disagree that the SRA for the Chairman of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee should remain unchanged at £13,908? Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
36 |
13 |
2 |
1 |
Q10. |
Do you agree or disagree that the SRA for the Chairman of the Regulatory Committee should be increased from £11,165 to £13,968?Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
25 |
26 |
1 |
0 |
Q11. |
Do you agree or disagree that the SRA for the principal opposition spokesperson on the Regulatory Committee be discontinued? Base sample 51 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
18 |
29 |
3 |
1 |
Q12. |
Do you agree or disagree that the Independent Chairman of the Standards Committee be paid an SRA of £1,950? Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
36 |
9 |
3 |
4 |
Q13. |
Do you agree or disagree that the basic allowance for independent members of the Standards Committee remains unchanged at £650? Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
34 |
12 |
2 |
4 |
Q14. |
Do you agree or disagree that the SRA for the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Governance Committee be discontinued from April 2009? Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
17 |
28 |
3 |
4 |
Q15. |
Do you agree or disagree that the Chairman of the River Hamble Harbour Board should receive an SRA of £5,583 per annum and backdated to 28 September 2006? Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
20 |
23 |
3 |
6 |
Q16. |
Do you agree or disagree that the SRA for the main opposition spokespeople (except Regulatory Committee see Question 11 above) remains at £5,583? Base sample 49 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
35 |
10 |
1 |
3 |
Q17. |
Do you agree or disagree that all SRAs for the minority opposition party spokespersons are discontinued from April 2009? Base sample 52 | |||
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know | |
15 |
34 |
2 |
1 | |
Q18. Do you agree or disagree that no SRAs should be paid to the chairmen of HATS? Base sample 52
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
24 |
19 |
6 |
3 |
Q19. Do you agree or disagree that the SRA paid to the e-champion is discontinued? Base sample 51
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
40 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
Section 5: Other Allowances |
Q20. |
Do you agree or disagree that the HMRC maximum tax-free allowance rate (currently 40p per mile) is used for all those claiming mileage under the Hampshire County Council Members' Allowance Scheme? Base sample 52 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
12 |
38 |
1 |
1 |
Q21. |
Do you agree or disagree that the higher mileage rate (currently 57.5p per mile) that is paid to members of the Independent Appeals Panels dealing with school admissions and exclusion appeals should be withdrawn and be paid the HMRC maximum tax-free allowance rates. Base sample 51 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
20 |
28 |
2 |
1 |
Q22. |
Do you agree or disagree that Hampshire County Council should continue to reimburse only on production of receipts for childcare and adult care? Base sample 50 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
45 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
Q23. |
Do you agree or disagree with the following recommendations? |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know | |
The hourly rate for childcare increases to £6.00 p/hr from £4.10 p/hr and no maximum ceiling on these allowances. Base sample 51 |
29 |
8 |
4 |
10 |
The adult dependent carer rate remains unchanged at £8.00 p/h. Base sample 52 |
30 |
8 |
2 |
12 |
Discretionary payments to members where there are special circumstances (e.g. special needs child/no childcare facilities) base sample 50 |
30 |
7 |
5 |
8 |
Q24. |
Do you agree or disagree with the following recommendations? |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know | |
There should be a comprehensive review of the members' allowance scheme carried out within five years. Base sample 52 |
36 |
9 |
5 |
2 |
After every election a new or re-elected councillor should be given a copy of a backbench councillor job description to sign. Base sample 51 |
31 |
14 |
4 |
2 |
To develop formal Councillor statements of activity and performance to cover the year 2008/9.. Base sample 50 |
9 |
36 |
2 |
3 |
Hampshire County Council should freeze all allowances for 2009/10. Base sample 50 |
7 |
41 |
1 |
1 |
Section 6: Equal Pay Audit |
Q25. |
Do you agree or disagree with the following recommendations on the annual pay audit of councillors? |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know | |
Hampshire County Council should carry out an annual equal pay audit of councillors' allowances Base sample 52 |
18 |
24 |
3 |
7 |
Hampshire County Council should publish the results of the review/ audit along with the statutory statement of allowances Base sample 48 |
18 |
22 |
3 |
5 |
Section 6: Multiple Special Responsibility Allowances |
Q26. |
Do you agree or disagree that Hampshire County Council should not pay a member more than one SRA (the higher/highest)? Base sample 51 |
Agree |
Disagree |
Defer |
Don't Know |
45 |
4 |
2 |
0 |