Agenda item

The Board was given the opportunity to consider and comment upon the Review of Councillor Allowances Report, following the Governance and Logistics Scrutiny and Policy Development’s Panel review of the 2016-2020 Councillor Allowances Scheme.

The Scrutiny Panel Lead (Governance and Logistics) introduced the report and answered member’s questions on the recommendations detailed. The Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader of the Council and Councillor Patrick were invited to take part in the debate.

The following key points were raised during the course of the discussion:

1.    The proposed Special Responsibility Allowance for the Development Management Committee (DMC) Chairman had been calculated using the previous allowance per meeting and the predicted average number of meetings per year for the next four years.

2.    The Scrutiny Board wished to scrutinise and debate future allowance schemes prior to presentation at Full Council.

3.    The Panel had considered the proposed rotating of DMC Chairman as an opportunity to train all DMC members to chair the meeting, but felt that as the Committee in particular attracts public attention and the Chair has a high responsibility role, DMC should have a static Chairman.

4.    The Board discussed other options instead of a rotating Chairman for DMC, such as a 6-month appointment of DMC Chairman or giving other DMC members the opportunity to chair meetings with less contentious applications.

5.    The Board suggested rotating the Chairman for Scrutiny, or giving Panel members the chance to chair Scrutiny Panel meetings which would enable Councillors to develop their chairing skills.

The recommendations set out in the report equated to an £80 rise in the Basic Allowance compared to the 2012-2016 Allowances Scheme.

It was RESOLVED that;

a)     the Council be recommended to amend the Councillor Allowances Scheme as follows;

“Havant Borough Council

Councillor Allowances 2016-2020

            A Councillor may only receive 1 SRA at a time

            No more than 50% of the number of Councillors can receive an SRA

Joint HR Committee Chairman and Vice Chairman rotates annually with EHDC.

*Leaders of any political group, other than the ruling group, compromising two or more members to receive a Special Responsibility Allowance based upon the following formula:

Prior to the next programmed independent review, annual consideration of minor allowance changes will take into account any pay changes applied to staff salaries.

Additional Allowances

Mileage: To be maintained in line with the HMRC rate, currently 45p per mile. Passenger and cycle rates set at 5p per passenger and 20p per mile respectively. Claims to be made within six months of the date of travel. Claims may only be made to cover travelling costs incurred whilst carrying out approved council duties as a councillor. This does not include ward business or political activities, such as attending group meetings.

Taxi/Rail: There is a presumption in the scheme that, where practicable, councillors will pre-book rail journeys for council business via the council. Where this is not practicable, then a valid receipt/train ticket must be presented, along with reason for that journey.

Child care: up to £8.75 per hour.

Dependent relative care: up to the hourly rate for approved care providers within Hampshire County Council (currently £14.20 in 2015).

Claims for carers allowances must be accompanied with a receipt stating the date, hours worked and cost. Claims may only be made to cover the carer costs incurred whilst carrying out approved council duties as a councillor, such as attending council meetings.

Subsistence (meal) allowances: The council does not make subsistence allowances available for approved duties within the district. Maximum claims for meals to be maintained in line with the rates that can be claimed by officers, currently (2015):

·         Breakfast = £5.73

·         Lunch = £7.92

·         Meal = £9.80

There is a presumption in the subsistence scheme that, where practicable, councillors will pre-book meals and accommodation through the council. Where this is not practicable, then the above subsistence rates are the maximum reimbursements, up to a maximum of £43 per day, including incidental subsistence costs.

This scheme was adopted by Havant Borough Council, after considering recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Panel, on 17 February 2016.

Under current legislation a new scheme must be adopted every four years, following a review from an Independent Remuneration Panel. The next scheme must be in place by April 2020.”

b)    that the 2016/17 Work Programme include a review of the Special Responsibility Allowance Scheme (including a 6 month monitoring exercise of the number of meetings attended by Chairman of Committees and Boards).