Purpose

To consider the findings of the
Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel which had met to
discuss the level of Members’ Allowances for the period
2024/25

Content

Agreed:
 
RECOMMENDED to Council
that:-
 
(1) 
the basic structure and principles of the current
Members’ Allowances scheme be retained for
2024/25;
(2) 
the principle that any Member qualifying for more
than one Special Responsibility Allowance is paid the higher
allowance only, be retained;
(3) 
the Councillors’ Basic and Special
Responsibility Allowances including the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord
Mayor’s Expenses Allowances, should continue to be linked and
updated in line with the national pay awards for the previous year,
(a lump sum payment of £1,925 was agreed for the period
2022/23 effective from April 2022). The Panel considered it
appropriate to use the median percentage pay increase of 4.04% as a
benchmark for the Basic Councillor Allowance;
(4) 
a new Special Responsibility Allowance be offered to
the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Board in recognition of their
coordination of the support role offered by the Board to the
scrutiny function;
(5) 
the principle that Special Responsibility Allowances
be paid to no more than 50% of the overall number of Councillors to
continue to be kept under review and adhered to where
possible;
(6) 
the current Dependants’ Carers’ Allowance scheme be
maintained, with the continuation of the level of allowance
matching the hourly Living Wage as applicable from April of each
year (together with the retention of the uplift of the standard
rate of income tax). In the case of Members who need specialist
care for a child or adult dependant, a higher rate, of up to
£25 per hour or part thereof, (together with the retention of
the uplift of the standard rate of income tax) can be agreed by
negotiation in advance with the Democratic Services
Manager;
(7) 
the sum of £50 be paid to the Independent
Persons affiliated to the Audit and Governance Committee for up to
four hours work, and £100 for four hours and over, payable to
each of the two Independent Persons (up to a maximum of £500
per person in any one year) be retained; and
(8) 
the Travel and Subsistence allowances available for staff continue
to apply to Exeter City Councillors, where appropriate.
 
Reason for Decision: As set
out in the report.