Content

Resolved
 

(1)         
That, having given due consideration, the following levels of
allowance be included in the 2025/2026 Members’ Allowances
Scheme:
·        
That the Basic Allowance be increased in in line with the 2025/2026
staff pay award (3.5%), rounded up to give 12 equal payments from 1
April 2025.
·        
That all Special Responsibility Allowances be increased in in line
with the 2025/2026 staff pay award (3.5%), rounded up to give 12
equal payments from 1 April 2025.
·        
That the co-optees allowance be increased in in line with the
2025/2026 staff pay award (3.5%), rounded up to give 12 equal
payments from 1 April 2025.
·        
That the Independent Persons allowance be increased in in line with
the 2025/2026 staff pay award (3.5%), rounded up to give 12 equal
payments from 1 April 2025.
·        
That Dependents’ Carers’ and Childcare Allowances
remain at the current level, are paid on the
basis of the actual costs incurred up to the maximum hourly
rate set out below and to a maximum cap of 40 hours per month,
subject to production of receipts and cannot be paid to a member of
the claimant’s household:
o  
Childcare: £10 per hour
o  
Dependent Relative care - £20 per hour
·        
That mileage remain
at the current level in line with
HMRC approved mileage rates, and if any adjustments are implemented
by HMRC then the revised rates should be applied to Members’
travel allowances effective from the date of implementation by
HMRC.

·        
That, having regard to the detailed review of staff
subsistence, the rates for subsistence allowance be aligned with
the revised maximum staff subsistence levels, with claims permitted
on approved duties of over 5 hours outside the district* subject to
the submission of receipts (*subsistence allowances cannot be
claimed for any duties within the district as the basic allowance
is deemed to cover all within district expenses).

o  
Breakfast: £7.50

o  
Lunch: £10.50

o  
Tea / coffee: £4.00

o  
Evening Meal: £12.50
·        
That Democratic Services continue to book overnight
accommodation if required.
·        
That there be no change to the list of approved
duties for which claims may be made.
·        
That Non-Executive Director allowances be
increased in in line with the 2025/2026 staff pay award (3.5%),
rounded up to give 12 equal payments from 1 April 2025 and costs recharged to the relevant company.

·        
That an in-depth “root and branches”
review of the Members’ Allowance Scheme be undertaken with
implementation to be determined when further information on local
government reorganisation, devolution and the Cherwell boundary
review is known.  
 

(2)         
That the Assistant Director Law and Governance be authorised to
prepare an amended Members’ Allowances Scheme, in accordance
with the decisions of Council for implementation with effect from 1
April 2025.
 

(3)         
That the Assistant Director of Law and Governance be authorised to
take all necessary action to revoke the current (2024/2025) Scheme
and to publicise the revised Scheme pursuant to The Local
Authorities (Member’s Allowances)(England) Regulations 2003
(as amended).
 

(4)         
That the Independent Remuneration Panel be thanked for its report
and a fee of £300 be set for each Panel Member for the work
carried out on this review and it be agreed the level of fee be
applied for any reviews carried out in 2025/2026 capped at a
maximum of £1200 per person, which can be funded from
existing budgets.