Further to the decision taken at the Annual Meeting of the Council held on 28 May 2019 (Minute 13 refers), the Council is asked to consider the recommendations made by the Independent Remuneration Panel following its high level light touch review of Members’ Allowances.

Further to the decision taken at the Annual Meeting of the Council held on 28 May 2019 (Minute 13 referred), the Council was required to consider the recommendations made by the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) following its high level light touch review of Members’ Allowances. The IRP’s report containing those recommendations was before Members as an appendix to item A.2 of the Report of the Head of Democratic Services & Elections.

Having duly considered, in accordance with The Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003, the recommendations made by the IRP:-

It was moved by Councillor Stock OBE and seconded by Councillor G V Guglielmi that –

(a)    the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel, following that Panel’s high level and light touch review of the current Scheme of Allowances for Councillors, as set out at Appendix A to item A.2 of the Report of the Head of Democratic Services & Elections, be received and noted;

(b)    having had regard to the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel and for the reasons submitted by Group Leaders in October 2019, the Council resolves to amend the Scheme of Allowances for 2019/20 as follows:

a.   that the Basic Allowance for all Members be adjusted to £6,000;

b.   that all Group Leaders, as defined by the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990, be entitled to receive the Group Leaders’ allowance and that reference to ‘Opposition’ is removed;

c.   that no restrictions be placed on the number of Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA) that can be received; and

d.   that the Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee be entitled to receive a SRA of £1,500.

(c)    these amendments to the Scheme will apply with effect from the beginning of this Municipal Year; and

(d)    the implementation of the proposed amendments will remain subject to identifying the necessary funding of £0.041m, which will be considered as part of the Financial Performance Report for Quarter 3 2019/20.

Following a request made by Councillor M E Stephenson, the Chairman adjourned the meeting for a period of 15 minutes in order to allow Group Leaders to ascertain the views of their respective Group members on Councillor Stock’s motion.

Upon the resumption of the meeting, Councillor M E Stephenson then moved and Councillor Bush seconded that Councillor Stock’s motion be amended to read as follows:-

“That –

(a)  the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel, following that Panel’s high level and light touch review of the current Scheme of Allowances for Councillors, as set out at Appendix A to item A.2 of the Report of the Head of Democratic Services & Elections, be received and noted;

(b)  the Council’s response to the recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Panel is to:

(1)    Adjust the allowances in respect of Planning Committee to the following:

a.    Chairman of Planning Committee - £6000,

b.    Vice-Chairman of Planning Committee - £1500,

c.     All other Members of the Planning Committee - £900.

(2)    to make no other change to the Scheme of Allowances recommended to, and adopted by, Tendring District Council at its meeting held on 28 May 2019.

(c)   it be noted that the Independent Remuneration Panel has invited submissions for its full review of the Scheme of Allowances for Councillors (to be conducted in March 2020) and specifically on the issues of Group Leader Allowances and the default position of one Special Responsibility Allowance being claimable by an individual Councillor.”

Councillors I J Henderson, Miles, Chapman, Steady and Stock OBE addressed the Council on the subject matter of Councillor Stephenson’s amendment.

In accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 19.4, Councillor I J Henderson asked that a record of the vote on Councillor Stephenson’s amendment be taken. The request was supported by the requisite number of Councillors.

Accordingly, the result of that recorded vote was as follows:

Councillor M E Stephenson’s amendment was thereupon declared LOST.

Councillors J Henderson, I J Henderson, Steady, Barry, Placey, Newton, Porter, Davis, Talbot, Morrison, M E Stephenson and G V Guglielmi addressed the Council on the subject matter of Councillor Stock’s motion..

In accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 19.4, Councillor I J Henderson asked that a record of the vote on Councillor Stock’s motion be taken. The request was supported by the requisite number of Councillors.

Accordingly, the result of that recorded vote was as follows:

Councillor Stock’s motion was thereupon declared CARRIED.