Agenda item

Report of the District Solicitor and Monitoring Officer.

The Council had before it a report of the District Solicitor and Monitoring Officer setting out the recommended Members’ Scheme of Allowances for 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

The Leader of the Council explained that Member allowances should be in line with the percentage increase awarded under Local Government Services Pay Agreement and felt that the increase should be an average of the percentage increases that officers received which would be 6.66%. That there was a need for Member allowances not to fall below the average of other districts’ Member allowances in Devon.

Councillor R Deed MOVED an AMENDMENT, seconded by Councillor C Eginton that:

 Increase the Basic Allowance by 6.66 % (being a figure between the average staff increase of between 6.5% and 7.0%) from the current Basic Allowance of £5,494.68 to £5,857. or in cash terms that is an additional £362. p.a. that was equivalent to £1.00 per day.

The following was discussed:

-        Constituents were experiencing a cost of living crisis and if Member allowances were increased this would send the wrong message to the public.

-        The Council had previously agreed to increase Member allowances in line with officer pay and that it was the percentage that needed to be determined due to a scaled increase in officer pay. 

-        Teignbridge District Council had agreed a new Member allowance.

-        That this decision should be deferred.

-        There might be a need to cut services and increase tax and so should take the lowest figure recommended.

-        It was clarified that this was a Council decision and that the decision could be deferred.

-        Thanks was given to the Independent Remuneration Panel for their work.

-        There was disappointment that only 4 Members had responded.

-        That the allowance was optional for Members and that the recommendation should be agreed.

-        New Members in the next administration would need to feel there was a reward.

Following the debate, Councillor A White MOVED in accordance with Procedure Rule 19.4: that the vote in respect of this AMENDMENT shall be by Roll Call. A roll call of Members present at the meeting was then taken.

Those voting FOR the AMENDMENT: Councillors J Bartlett, W Burke, RJ Chesterton, C A Collis, F J Colthorpe, C P Daw, R M Deed, C J Eginton, D J Knowles, S J Penny, S E Pugh, C Slade, E J Slade, M E Squires

Those voting AGAINST the AMENDMENT: Councillors J Buczkowski, D R Coren, L Cruwys, R J Dolley, J M Downes, R Evans, S Griggs, P J Heal, B Holdman, F W Letch, E J Lloyd, J Norton, L D Taylor, B G J Warren, A White

Those ABSTAINING from voting: Councillors E J Berry, N V Davey, R F Radford

The AMENDMENT was declared to have FAILED.

Councillor R Evans MOVED the RECOMMENDATION, seconded by Councillor B Warren that:

That the Members’ Allowances Scheme in Appendix 2 be adopted for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

Upon a vote being taken the RECOMMENDATION was declared to have FAILED.

It was PROPOSED by Councillor J Buczkowski, seconded by Councillor L Taylor that:

No changes be made to the current Member Allowance scheme for the current financial year and for the financial year of 2023/24.

Councillor R Deed MOVED an AMENDMENT, seconded by Councillor C Eginton that:

This item be deferred to the next Full Council Meeting due to take place on the 22 February 2023.

The following was discussed:

-        There was confusion with the report and its interpretation and that this should be deferred.

-        It was clarified that it would not be the case that Member Allowances would stop.

Upon a vote being taken the AMENDMENT was declared to have been CARRIED.

Note: Councillors F Letch requested that their abstention from voting be recorded.