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22 February 2021

Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel – Members’ Allowances

Pursuant to the Northamptonshire (Structural Changes) Order 2020 (as amended) and the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003, the Shadow Council has received a report of an Independent Remuneration Panel on recommendations for a Scheme of Members’ Allowances for North Northamptonshire Council. The scheme of allowances will take effect from 1st April 2021 and will continue until amended or revoked by the North Northamptonshire Council.

The Panel’s report is available to view in the meeting papers, or alternatively:

Email: DLdemocraticservices.kbc@kettering.gov.uk

Tel: 01536 410333 and ask for Democratic Services.

Summary of the Panel’s Report

Recommendations

(1)     The Basic Allowance in North Northamptonshire should be set at £12,500.

(2)     Special Responsibility Allowances should be allocated as follows.

Leader of the Council                                                                                        £27,000

Deputy Leader of the Council                                                                           £18,000

Member of the Executive                                                                                  £13,500

Leader of the largest opposition party                                                            £10,000

Deputy leader of the largest opposition party                                                 £ 4,000

    (if group size is 15 or over)

Leader of a party with 10 or more members                                                    £7,000

Leader of a party with 4-9 members                                                                  £4,000

Chair of the Scrutiny Committee                                                                      £13,500

    (see recommendation (3) below)

Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee                                                      £7,500

Chair of an Area Planning Committee                                                              £3,750

Chair of the Licensing & Appeals Committee                                                  £7,500

    (see recommendation (4) below)

Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee *                                            £7,500

Chair of the Democracy and Standards Committee                                       £7,500

Chairs of the Employment Committee, the Police and Crime                       £4,000

    Panel and the Health and Well-being Board

          * It would be acceptable for the council to set a different figure for an independent chair, reflecting a negotiated outcome.

 (3)     A total allowance of £40,000 should be allocated to the Overview and Scrutiny function to be distributed within this financial envelope.

(4)     A total allowance of £10,000 should be set aside and allocated amongst members chairing Licensing Panels of major significance during the course of a municipal year.

(5)     The civic allowance paid to the Chair of the Council should be set at £10,000 and that of the Deputy Chair, £5,000.

(6)     SRAs should not at the present time be allocated to the vice-chairs of the committees and boards listed. This recommendation should be reviewed at the end of the 2021-22 municipal year.

(7)     An attendance allowance of £400 per meeting should be paid to non-council members who have been co-opted on to council committees such as Audit and Governance and Democracy and Standards, to the Parent Governor representative on the Scrutiny Committee and to any other co-optees subsequently appointed.

(8)     No hourly rate should be specified for the childcare and dependant’s carers’ allowance. Payment should be made on the production of receipts, within a maximum ceiling of £6,500 per municipal year for any one councillor.

(9)     The criterion used for the annual updating of members allowances should be the NJC pay award to officers. This criterion should be applied for as long as the government imposes an officers’ pay settlement.

(10)   Travel and subsistence allowances should be in accordance with HMRC specified mileage allowances and the LGA recommended travel and subsistence payments. These rates should be equally applicable to co-opted members.

(11)   No additional allowance for IT equipment and use should be paid to members. The Basic Allowance has been set to incorporate an IT element.

(12)   The allowances scheme should be reviewed in a year’s time, when experience of operating the new decision-making structure will have accumulated.

(13) If the size of the executive is reduced, then the total allocation to the executive members should be redistributed within the same financial envelope, unless the change involves a substantial delegation of executive responsibilities to officers.

(14) If a councillor holds two positions for which SRAs are payable, it is only the higher of these SRAs which can be claimed.

(15) A ‘diversity strategy’ aimed at encouraging a wider range of groups to stand for council election should be a priority for the new council.

(16)   That where appropriate, those individuals who are Members of North Northamptonshire Council from 1st April 2021 will receive pro rata payments of Basic and SRA Allowances for the period up to 10th May 2021 (to be known as the “Interim Arrangement”).

    

Adele Wylie

Director of Legal and Democratic Services & Monitoring Officer

North Northamptonshire Council

Sheerness House, 41 Meadow Road, Kettering, NN16 8TL

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