Decision

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      The report and recommendations of the IRP are noted.

Resolved (5 for, 1 against, 1 abstaining, and the Chair not voting) to:

(2)      The Members Allowances Scheme be updated to accept Option B (as set out in para 2.6 and Appendix 1)

(3)      The SRA forthe Chairof theStandards andConstitution Committeeshould be increased from 10% to 30% ofthe Basic Allowance from 1 April 2024.

Resolved (4 for, 1 against, 2 abstaining, and the Chair not voting) to:

(4)      The SRA forthe ViceChair ofthe Standardsand ConstitutionCommittee shouldbe increasedfrom 5%to 15%of theBasic Allowance from 1 April 2024.

Resolved (5 for, 2 abstaining, and the Chair not voting) to:

(5)      The SRA for Chair of Human Resources Panel should be withdrawn from the end of this municipal year.

(6)      The SRAs for2024/25 tobe inaccordance withthose listedin Appendix 1 ofthe IRP report.

Unanimously resolved to:

(7)      That the Council’sexisting DependantsCarers Allowancecontinues withoutamendment.

Resolved (5 for, 2 abstaining, and the Chair not voting) to:

(8)      The Annual Indexation of Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances in line with the ‘cost of living’ percentage increase in staff salaries should be implemented from 1 April 2024 /or 1 April 2025 for the next two financial years.

Unanimously resolved to:

(9)      To fund any increases to the Members Allowances Scheme that arise from the above recommendations, officers will need to be tasked with identifying compensating savings/additional income within services.

(10)   The Panel be instructed to review the Scheme on or before December 2025, as to the following specific issues:

(a)  A full reviewof SpecialResponsibility Allowances(SRAs) be undertaken, in particular the ‘One SRAper Councillor”rule;

(b)  Explore awarding a SRA for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and

(c)  To review and propose a policy for pre-approvedpayments fortravel, subsistenceand attendanceat conferences, seminarsand otherofficial Councilbusiness outsideof theborough, having reviewed how this should work in future.