Agenda item

To consider the report and recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Panel.

Consideration was given to the report which set out the recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Panel on Member Allowances. Section 15 of the Local Authorities (Members Allowances) (England) Regulations 2001 on Members’ Allowances set out the requirement to have an Independent Remuneration Panel to consider any changes or amendments to the Members’ Allowances Scheme every four years. To comply with the legislation to undertake the required review, the Council had to appoint a panel to conduct the review.

The panel comprised of:

·       Carrie Sudbury, Chief Executive, Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce.

·       Shafiq Hussain, Chief Executive, Voluntary Action Rotherham.

·       Rev Phil Batchford, Vicar of Rotherham and St. Paul’s Masbrough.

It met on 17 and 31 October and 16 November 2023. Members of the Council were given the opportunity to consult with Members of the Panel as part of the review and various Councillors were heard from.

The Member’s Allowance Scheme was last reviewed in April 2015 and agreed by Council in May 2015. The Panel recommended that the amounts agreed at this time remain in place for a period of two years. After this period the basic and special responsibility allowances should be reviewed in line with the Retail Price Index. In July 2017 Council approved a 1.15% reduction in Member’s basic allowances and special responsibility allowances in line with amendments to staff terms and conditions being introduced. Since that time no uplift for inflation had been added meaning that Members Allowances had been static since 2017. In the same period the Bank of England calculator provided that inflation amounts to 27%.

A benchmarking exercise was carried out to compare the allowances of Council’s across Yorkshire. Details of these were included in appendices 2 and 3 to the report.

Following the review, the Panel made the following recommendations:

(i)             The Basic Members’ Allowance (and Allowances for those co-opted) for 2023-24 be increased by 5%.

(ii)            That the Special Responsibility Allowances be increased by 5% for 2023-24.

(iii)          That additional Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) should only be paid for one special responsibility position.

(iv)          That annual increases in Basic Allowances should be in line with the average Local Government pay awards for staff below Chief Officer level.

(v)           That annual increases in Special Responsibility Allowance should be paid at half (50%) of the average Local Government pay award for staff below Chief Officer level.

(vi)          That travel allowances should be increased in line with staff travel allowances and should change as and when the locally agreed rates change.

(vii)         No Special Responsibility Allowance should be paid for the Deputy Leader of the Opposition

(viii)       Increases in allowances to be effective from 1 April 2023.

During the debate, a number of Councillors indicated that they would not be supporting the recommendations. Councillors Ball and Bacon stated that it was unfair to increase Member’s Allowances and increase Council Tax. Councillor Bennett-Sylvester questioned the suitability of the Panel as to their experience of living on a low income. He also stated that Rotherham Council should have the lowest allowances as recompense following the publication of the Jay Report (2014) and the Casey Report (2015.) Councillor Reynolds thought the timing of the recommendations was inappropriate.

Councillor Adam Carter thanked the Panel for the work they had done on the review.

In supporting the recommendations, Councillors Hoddinott and Cusworth stated that every resident in the borough should be able to stand for election and an increased allowance was required to help that happen. The allowance was still lower than it was in 2014 but the increases would allow Councillors to continue to put food on their tables without being excessive. Councillor Atkin stated that Members of Parliament voted on their own pay rises every year.

Councillor Wilson stated that if Members did not support the increase, they did not have to accept it if it was approved. They could contact the Head of Democratic Services to forgo all or part of their allowance.

Councillor Hoddinott asked that feedback be given to the Panel regarding the omission of carer’s allowance from the review.

In responding, the Leader stated that the Council needed to be as accessible as possible to all in the borough and as such, it was not sustainable to keep the freeze on Member’s Allowances. He disagreed with the view that Rotherham should have the worst allowances because of its history as this would not lead to improvements. He also urged any members that did not want to take the increase to contact officers.

Resolved:

That Council:

1.    Approve the following recommendations made by the Independent Remuneration Panel following a review of the Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council Members’ Allowances Scheme:

a.    (The Basic Members’ Allowance (and Allowances for those co-opted) for 2023-24 be increased by 5%.

b.    That the Special Responsibility Allowances be increased by 5% for 2023-24.

c.     That additional Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) should only be paid for one special responsibility position.

d.    That annual increases in Basic Allowances should be in line with the average Local Government pay awards for staff below Chief Officer level.

e.    That annual increases in Special Responsibility Allowance should be paid at half (50%) of the average Local Government pay award for staff below Chief Officer level.

f.      That travel allowances should be increased in line with staff travel allowances and should change as and when the locally agreed rates change.

g.    No Special Responsibility Allowance should be paid for the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

h.    Increases in allowances to be effective from 1 April 2023.

2.    Thank the members of the IRP for their detailed consideration of the Scheme and their service on the Panel.

Mover:- Councillor Read                         Seconder:- Councillor Allen

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 19(2), a recorded vote was requested and taken for this item as follows:

For: Councillors Alam, Allen, Andrews, Atkin, Aveyard, Baker-Rodgers, Beck, Bird, Browne, Clark, Cooksey, Cowen, Cusworth, Ellis, Foster, Griffin, Haleem, Harper, Hoddinott, Hughes, Keenan, Lelliott, McNeely, Monk, Pitchley, Read, Sheppard, Taylor, Thompson, Wilson, Wyatt and Yaseen.

Against: Councillors Bacon, Ball, Bennett-Sylvester, Burnett, A. Carter, C. Carter, T. Collingham, Z. Collingham, Elliott, Fisher, Hunter, Jones, Mills, Miro, Reynolds, Tarmey and Tinsley.

There were 32 votes for and 17 votes against. The recommendations were therefore approved.