Agenda item

To consider a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services (copy attached) to notify Members of the Panel’s report, for Members to adopt the recommendations asked in the report and to decide upon the level of remuneration for the chair and Vice-Chair of Council for the financial year 2014/2015.

 

The Lead Member for Modernising and Performance, Councillor Barbara Smith, introduced the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales Report 2014/15 (previously circulated) to notify Members of the Panel’s report.  Also for Members to adopt the recommendations within the report and to decide upon the level of remuneration for the Chair and Vice-Chair of Council for the financial year 2014/15.

 

The Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 (the Measure) provided that the Panel must publish a report about the exercise of its functions with respect to each financial year. 

 

The Panel had visited all 22 local authorities in Wales to ascertain the views of Members and officers, during the summer of 2013.

 

The Panel had not changed the level of remuneration since 2011.  The Panel had previously aligned the payment of Basic Salary to the median gross earnings of full time employees in Wales.  In the last three years, there had been a reduction in funding for local authorities and a freeze on public sector pay.  The Panel had determined during that period, not to retain the alignment with median earnings which had resulted in a reduction of the Basic Salary level in real terms.

 

Given the modest relaxation in the constraints on public sector pay, the Panel had decided to increase the Basic Salary by less than 1% from £13,175 to £13,300 for financial year 2014/15.

 

The Panel had decided that each local authority should set the level of salary payable to Civic Heads and Deputies (Chair and Vice-Chair) from one of three levels determined by the Panel as payable.  These levels did not relate to population size and were for each local authority to determine according to the anticipated workload and responsibilities. 

 

The levels of salary available were as follows:

 

	Chair	Vice-Chair
a)	£24,000	£18,000
b)	£21,500	£16,000
c)	£19,000	£14,000

 

The current levels payable to the Chair and Vice-Chair were £19,035 and £14,805 respectively.

 

Councillor Barbara Smith suggested to Members that the level of payment to Chair and Vice-Chair be dealt with separately.  This was agreed.

 

Following in-depth discussion the following points were raised:

 

·        Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill proposed Band c) £19,000 for Chair.  Seconded by Councillor Peter Owen.

·        Councillor Meirick Lloyd Davies proposed Band b) £21,500 for Chair. Seconded by Councillor Jeanette Chamberlain Jones.

 

A vote took place for the level of payment to the Chair as follows:

 

·        20 members voted in favour of £21,500

·        18 members voted in favour of £19,000

·        Councillor Gwyneth Kensler requested it be noted that she did abstain from the vote.

 

Therefore it was carried that the salary for the Chair of Council for 2014/15 be £21,500.

 

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill proposed Band c) £14,000 for Vice Chair.  Seconded by Councillor Martyn Holland

 

A vote took place for the level of payment to the Vice-Chair as follows and 33 members voted in favour of Band c) £14,000 and 4 voted against.

 

Therefore, it was carried that the salary for the Vice-Chair of the Council for 2014/15 be £14,000.

 

At this juncture, Councillor Arwel Roberts raised an objection.  Councillor Roberts recommended additional salaries should not be paid to Chairs of Committees due to the current economic climate and the fact it would be a financial saving to the Council.

 

The Head of Legal & Democratic Services clarified that the Independent Remuneration Panel report put before Council applied to posts which attracted senior salaries.  Council had decided in 2012 that only 15 senior salaries would be paid, rather than the recommended 17. 

 

There was a requirement, by law, to pay all members a basic salary and also to pay the Leader of the largest opposition group.  It would be at the members’ discretion as to whether senior salaries were to be paid.

 

Discussion took place and it was agreed that due to the fact the 2014/15 financial year was underway, a report be presented to a future Council meeting to discuss senior salaries for the 2015/16 financial year onwards and whether to forego the senior salaries.

 

Councillor Eryl Williams proposed that an analysis and review of the workloads carried  by members, should take place by Democratic Services.  The proposal was seconded by Councillor Meirick Lloyd Davies.

 

It was agreed that Democratic Services carry out an analysis and review of the workloads carried by members in relation to the salary paid.

 

RESOLVED that Members:

 

·        adopt the recommendations of the Panel for financial year 2014/15 in respect of the payment of Basic Salaries and Senior Salaries.

·        determined the level of remuneration to be paid to the Chair (£21,500) and Vice-Chair (£14,000) for the financial year 2014/15.

·        adopt the recommendations of the Panel in respect of payments to co-opted members.

·        adopt the scheme of payments to Members set out in Appendix 3 to the report.

·        agreed to a report being presented to a future Council meeting regarding the payment of senior salaries.

·        agreed that Democratic Services conduct a review of the workloads associated with various posts and roles held and carried out by members and report back.