Agenda item

To consider a report by the Democratic Services Manager (copy attached) to advise of the Panel’s determinations for 2019 / 20 in respect of payments to elected and co-opted members.

The Democratic Services Manager introduced a report (previously circulated) in respect of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales’ (IRPW) annual report for 2019 / 20.

Members were advised that the IRPW’s annual reports had previously been taken to full Council, but the IRPW had recently confirmed that this was not required as the Panel itself set the determinations (decisions) rather than the local authorities.

The Democratic Services Manager (DSM) outlined the remit of the IRPW in setting the levels that members of principal councils, such as Denbighshire, as well as some other public bodies, were paid for undertaking various duties and responsibilities. He advised that the IRPW was required to produce an annual report and for 2019 / 2020 the IRPW was providing a £268 or 1.97% increment in members’ basic salaries as well as a £532 increment to Cabinet members’ senior salaries, with a full summary of the changes shown in the Committee’s report.

Councillor Graham Timms referred to the IRPW’s letter to Denbighshire County Council in respect of a proposal to increase the salary of one of the Council’s chief officers. The letter appended to the IRPW’s annual report had been superseded by a subsequent letter from the IRPW but, being part of the annual report, meant that the original letter was the version still in public circulation.

The Committee discussed the IRPW’s role in regards to chief officers’ salaries. The Head of Legal, HR and Democratic Services advised that the Welsh Government had added chief executive and chief officer pay issues to the IRPW’s functions. The IRPW could therefore take a view and make recommendations on proposed changes to those salaries (unless the changes were also being applied to other officers of the authority). The authority was legally obliged to have regard to recommendations made by the IRPW but was not obliged to implement them.

The Committee expressed concern that letters concerning an ongoing issue were being appended to the annual reports and agreed that the Welsh Government should be asked to consider removing the IRPW’s role relating to officer pay.

The Committee discussed the IRPW’s aim of encouraging diversity in local government council chambers, which it supported. The use of member salaries and cost of care allowances to assist those who would not be able to afford to put themselves forward was welcomed, but it was acknowledged that the payments could negatively affect the public’s perception of elected members.

Members discussed the IRPW’s previous decisions to allow local authorities to decide between a series of payment level options for certain roles. The Committee supported the principle of decision making on members’ allowances being taken out of the hands of local authorities, and recommended to the IRPW that options on payment levels should not be given. The Committee noted that the IRPW had responded to similar feedback from councils by removing those choices from the new annual report.

RESOLVED – that the Democratic Services Committee:

(i)        Endorses the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales’ aims to make available acceptable and affordable levels of member payments that will contribute to enhancing diversity in local government;

(ii)       Expresses its concern to the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales that letters concerning on-going matters relating to officer pay were being appended to the annual reports;

(iii)      Recommends to the Welsh Government that the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales’ role in relation to officer pay be re-considered; and

(iv)      Supports the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales’ removal of decisions on the payment levels for certain roles from local authorities in the 2019 / 2020 Annual Report.