Agenda item

To consider a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services (copy to follow) relating to the remuneration of Members and to approve a scheme of remuneration for 2012 / 13.

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services (H:L&DS) submitted a report (previously circulated) seeking members’ approval of the level of members’ remuneration for the financial year 2012/13 following the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales in respect of the amounts to be paid by way of Basic Salary, Senior Salaries and Civic Salaries.

Members were advised that under S153 Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 Council must implement the Panel’s requirements.  Accordingly Council must pay each member a Basic Salary and may pay Senior Salaries and Civic Salaries for the positions identified and the amounts set by the Panel.  A maximum number of seventeen Senior Salaries had been prescribed for Denbighshire.  Details of the Basic, Senior and Civic Salaries had been set out within the report together with fourteen posts which would be eligible for a Senior Salary.  Whether any other posts were eligible for a Senior Salary would depend on the appointment of members to the fourteen identified posts.  In guiding members through the report the H:L&DS also highlighted the following –

·        the fees Council must pay to co-opted members

·        maximum payments payable for the care of children or dependants whilst members/cop-opted members were undertaking their duties

·        travel and subsistence expenses payable, and

·        the need to maintain and publish an annual schedule of member remuneration and to publish the total sum paid to each member/co-opted member.

During consideration of the report members sought clarification on a number of issues and the H:L&DS responded to members’ questions as follows –

·        S153 of the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 made it mandatory to implement the Panel’s requirements

·        if the Council did not implement the requirements of the Panel the Welsh Ministers had power to direct the Council to comply with the requirements and may enforce any such direction by applying for a mandatory order

·        every councillor must receive a Basic Salary with the Council having discretion to award up to seventeen Senior Salaries and two Civic Salaries which must be allocated in accordance with the Panel’s recommendations as detailed within the report

·        the costs of implementing the Panel’s recommendations could be met from within existing budgets

·        confirmed that Council had previously paid Special Responsibility Allowances to eighteen posts but in light of the Panel’s recommendations Senior Salaries could only be paid to seventeen posts.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill welcomed the Panel setting prescribed rates as he felt Council had been in a difficult position when determining their own allowances.  Council noted the statutory requirement to adopt the Panel’s recommendations and further considered the allocation of positions that would attract Senior Salaries in Denbighshire.  Mixed views were expressed as to whether the full seventeen Senior Salaries should be payable with some members in favour of paying only the fourteen identified posts and others highlighting the extra work undertaken by particular members which may warrant further remuneration.  During debate members agreed that Senior Salaries should be payable to the fourteen posts identified within the report together with the two Civic Salaries but felt that they did not have sufficient information at this time to make a fully informed decision as to whether the remaining three Senior Salaries at its disposal should be allocated.  The need to provide an opportunity for members to consult within their groups and to raise awareness of the different posts with the newly elected councillors was also highlighted together with the need to consider the forthcoming report on Political Balance and Committee Membership prior to making a decision.  The Chief Executive suggested that some options on how to deal with the remaining allocations be set out for members’ consideration at a future meeting of Council.

RESOLVED that –

(a)       the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales in respect of the amounts to be paid by way of Basic Salary, Senior Salaries and Civic Salaries be adopted;

(b)       fourteen Senior Salaries for the posts set out in 4.23 of the report plus two Senior Salaries for the posts of Civic Head and Deputy Civic Head be agreed with consideration of the allocation of the remaining three Senior Salaries at the Council’s disposal to be deferred to a future meeting of the Council;

(c)        the fee rates for co-opted members as recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales be adopted, and

(d)       the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales in respect of the payment of travel expenses, subsistence, and reimbursement of expenses incurred for the care of children or dependants be adopted.