Perhaps it is not a great public relations strategy to be discussing a 1% increase in councillor allowances at the same Full Council Meeting which will be agreeing a budget that cuts services, but that is what will happen on February 22nd LINK
Apart from the uplift there are other changes due to the proposed revised Scrutiny arrangements (see below). It is also proposed that councillors will be able to claim travelling and subsistence allowances for conferences they attend outside of the borough. This will be set at the same level as council officers.
In a move that might not sweeten relationships between the two Conservative Groups on the Council it is proposed to remove the deputy leader allowance for the Conservative Group (led by Cllr John Warren) from Cllr Carol Shaw. Instead £9,000 will go to the leader of the Brent Conservative Group, Cllr Suresh Kansagra.
The report reminds councillors of the principle behind the allowance scheme:
Members are reminded that the 2014 Report
advocates the setting of allowances at a level that enables people to undertake
the role of councillor while not acting as an incentive to do so. It is equally
important, as acknowledged, that there should not be a financial disincentive.
It is also worth
mentioning that in 2014 Members allowances were set at a reduced, or much
reduced, level than the amount recommended by the independent panel. The
difficulty in increasing allowances for Members given the current financial
austerity, was recognised by the independent panel
These are the proposed new allowances for 2016-17:
BASIC, SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CO-OPTED
MEMBER ALLOWANCES WITH EFFECT FROM 1 APRIL 2016
Basic
Allowance
Payable
to all councillors = £10,100
Special Responsibility Allowances
(No more than
one allowance per member) This is in
addition to the Basic Allowance.
1. Leader
of the Council = £39,354
2. Deputy
Leader of the Council = £28,681
3. Other
Cabinet Members (x6) = £18,898
4. Chair
of the Scrutiny Committee = £14,140 (under current scrutiny arrangements until
18 May 2016)
5.
Vice-Chair of the Scrutiny Committee = £5,050 (under current scrutiny
arrangements until 18 May 2016)
6. Chair
of the Community and Well-being Scrutiny Committee (under new scrutiny
arrangements from 19 May 2016) = £14,140
7. Chair
of the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee (under new scrutiny
arrangements from 19 May 2016) = £14,140
8.
Vice-Chair of the Community and Well-being Scrutiny Committee (under new
scrutiny arrangements from 19 May 2016) = £5,050
9.
Vice-Chair of the Resources and Public Realm Community and Well- being Scrutiny
Committee (under new scrutiny arrangements from 19 May 2016) = £5,050
10.
Members of the Scrutiny Committee (x6) (under current scrutiny arrangements
until 18 May 2016) = £3,202
11.
Members of the Scrutiny Committees (x12) (under new scrutiny arrangements from
19 May 2016) = £3,202
12.
Chair of the Planning Committee = £14,140
13.
Members of the Planning Committee (x6) = £3,234
14.
Chair of the Standards Committee = £2,155
15.
Co-Chair of the Youth Parliament = £2,155
16.
Chair of the Pension Fund Sub-Committee = £2,155
17.
Chairs of the Service User Consultative Forums (x5) = £2,155
18.
Chairs of the Brent Connects Area Consultative Forums (x5) = £4,873
19.
Members of the Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Committee (x15) = £2,155
20.
Member of the Adoption and Permanency Panel = £3,234
21.
Member of the Fostering Panel = £3,234
22.
Leader of the Principal Opposition Group* = £12,913
23.
Other Group Leader(s) = £9,000
24.
Group Whip for the majority group with over 50% of councillors = £5,583
25.
Deputy Whips for the majority group (x2) = £2,155
26.
Mayor = £9,090
27. Deputy Mayor = £7,070
*For the
purposes of this Scheme this is the second largest group of the Council. If
there are two or more opposition groups of the same size, it is such group as
the Council shall decide.
Co-opted
Member Allowances
1. Chair
of the Audit Committee (non-voting) = £423
2.
Independent member(s) of the Standards Committee (non-voting) = £423
3.
Education voting co-opted members of the Scrutiny Committee (x4) (under current
scrutiny arrangements until 18 May 2016) = £224
4.
Education voting co-opted members of the Community and Well-being Scrutiny
Committee (x4) (under new scrutiny arrangements from 19 May 2016) = £224
The introduction of two Scrutiny Committees is the main source of the increase in spending on allowances. The overall budget cannot be predicted because it is not possible to forecast claims under the new conference expenses system and because only one special allowance can be paid even if a councillor takes on several roles. The allocation of these roles will not be known until after the AGM.
The allocation of roles has been controversial in the past with accusations of unfairness to councillors with an independent mindset and favouritism towards the compliant. The increase in the number of potential roles may satisfy more of the 56 strong Labour Group.
With the leadership of the Labour Group (and therefore the Council) to be decided at the AGM in May things could become quite interesting.
Labour backbencher and former Executive Member Keith Perrin told Full Council last night that he could not vote for an increase in councillor expenses at the same time that the Council was putting up Council Tax. He voted against the proposal and was joined by Cllr Long. They are two of a total of 56 Labour councillors. I understand that Cllr Helen Carr, Lib Dem, also voted against the increase.
