Archived decisions
Annex 1
AT A MEETING of the INDEPENDENT REMUNERATION PANEL of the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority held at The Castle, Winchester on 10 November 2008.
PRESENT:
Mrs. Z. Atkins; F.H.M. Quick; G.Wilkinson
The following officers were in attendance:
J. Pattison and K. Ridout - For Clerk to Authority
P. Carey-Kent - For Treasurer to Authority
1 APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN
It was AGREED that F.H.M. Quick should chair the meeting.
2 REVIEW OF THE EXISTING HFRA MEMBERS' ALLOWANCES SCHEME
The Panel had before them background information consisting of the current allowance scheme, the terms of reference for each of the Committees, a schedule of comparable fire and rescue authorities' allowances and copies of current Hampshire County and Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils Members' allowances schemes.
The Panel was advised that there had been no written or personal representations received from Members of the Authority. Given the last significant review of the Members' Allowance Scheme was in 2005, the Panel considered it was appropriate to conduct a full appraisal of the Scheme in Summer/Autumn 2009. As a consequence, the Panel was minded to recommend allowances be frozen at existing rates pending the completion of the review and, that the non-uniformed staff salary settlement for 2009/10 be applied retrospectively from 1 April 2009 to the agreed outcome. The exception to this being however in relation to the SRA paid in relation to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Standards Committee, the Childcare Allowance and the mileage rate.
The Panel noted the changed nature and scope of the Standards Committee and that the Chairman was now an independent appointment. In a similar way as had been recommended by the County Council's IRP, this Panel also took the view that in the case of the Chairman of the Standards Committee an appropriate SRA would be three times the basic allowance for Independent Members of the Standards Committee (ie £1944), in addition to the basic allowance of £648. The Panel noted that in previous years, the SRA for the Vice-Chairman of the Standards Committee was 25% of the Chairman's SRA and, on that basis, considered £486 (25% of £1944) should be the applicable SRA for the role.
With regard to the Childcare Allowance, the Panel wished to see this increased from £4.10 to £6.00 an hour with the ceiling for this and the dependent carers allowance removed as had been recommended by the County Council's IRP after consideration of Hampshire Provider Survey data. The Panel was aware the majority of district/borough councils in Hampshire and the Hampshire Police Authority paid the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) approved mileage rate of 40p for the first 10,000 miles and 25p thereafter and that the County Council's IRP had recommended these rates should be adopted by Hampshire County Council instead of the existing approved mileage of 53.5p per mile. The Panel noted that Kent and Medway Fire Authority also paid 40p for the first 10,000 miles and felt that Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority should also adopt the Revenue and Customs rates.
RESOLVED:
That it be a RECOMMENDATION to the Authority:
(a) That allowances be frozen at the existing rates, subject to a full review of the HFRA Members' Allowances Scheme in Summer/Autumn 2009, with the exception that with effect from 1 April, 2009:-
· SRA for Chairman and Standards Committee be reduced from £3,441 to £1,944, in addition to a £648 Independent Member basic allowance.
· SRA for Vice-Chairman of Standards Committee be reduced from £858 to £486.
· Childcare Allowance be increased from £4.10 to £6.00 an hour with the ceiling for that and the dependent carers allowance being removed.
· Mileage rate to be reduced from 53.5p to HMRC rate of 40p a mile for first 10,000 miles and 25p a mile thereafter.
(a) That for the year 2009/10, the pay award made to local government staff which also applies to non-uniformed staff be applied retrospectively to the 1 April, 2009 as the cost of living increase to whatever allowances are agreed by the Authority in December, 2009, following the Panel's full review of the Scheme.
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