Issue - meetings

Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) Annual Report for 2019

Meeting: 27/11/2019 - Constitution and Democratic Services Committee (Item 18)

18 Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) Annual Report for 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 85 KB

To enable the Committee to receive the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) Annual Report for 2020/21, which determines payments to elected and co-opted members for the next year.

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales be informed:

 

(a)       That the Committee notes the determinations made by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales in their draft Annual Report for 2020/21;

 

(b)       That the Committee supports Determination 41 (Reimbursement of Costs of Care) and confirms that the Council’s policy is to anonymise claims as   an aggregated figure, rather than individually;

 

(c)        That the Committee’s view is that it would be more practical for any increases in all Member payments to take effect from an authority’s annual meeting at the start of the municipal year rather than  the financial year; and

 

(d)       That the Head of Democratic Services be authorised to make a response on behalf of the Council to the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, reflecting decisions at the meeting.

Minutes:

The Democratic Services Manager introduced a report on the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) Annual Report for 2020/21, which determines payment to elected and co-opted members for the next year.  He provided background information and said the IRPW had sent the draft Annual Report to County Councils on 15 October, requesting comments to be made by 10 December 2019.  The IRPW was required to take into account the representations which it received on the draft before issuing its final version of the report in February 2020. 

 

In presenting the report, the Democratic Services Manager advised that for 2020/21 the IRPW had made 51 Determinations, 18 of which were directly relevant to Flintshire County Council.  He advised that the IPPW had proposed that the basic salary in 2020/21 for elected members of principal councils be increased by £350 to £14,218 with effect from 1 April 2020. To put this in context the IRPW, had carried out analysis of basic members’ salaries and made the point that ‘backbench council members’ salaries had fallen significantly behind inflation.   He reported that no changes, other than the increase in basic salary, were proposed for senior or civic salaries.  Political group leaders and deputies had been consulted on the report at a meeting held on 22 November 2019.

 

Councillor Mike Peers provided feedback on the meeting of Group Leaders on 22 November and said the recommendation arising from consideration of the IRPW report was that it be noted.  He therefore proposed that the Committee noted the determinations made by the IRPW in their draft Annual Report for 2020/21.

 

Councillor Peers drew attention to page 17, section 6, of the agenda, which referred to the provision in the framework to reimburse members for the costs of care.  The Democratic Services Manager explained that Councils were not required to disclose the recipients of the cost of care and had the facility to aggregate the costs.  He said that the Authority had adopted this provision as good practice for a number of years, however, the IRPW had placed renewed emphasis on Councils adopting this element of the framework so that members were not financially disadvantaged.

 

The Democratic Services Manager explained that the IRPW proposed that the increases in salary would come into effect from 1 April 2020, however, it was suggested that the Committee consider whether it would be more practical for increases in all Member payments to take effect from the Authority’s annual meeting rather than the start of the financial year.  He said this would also address the issue of any change to Members’ positions which took place following the Annual Meeting.

 

Councillor Chris Bithell spoke of the changing and increasing role and responsibilities of Elected Members and Cabinet Members and said it was only fair that Members were appropriately remunerated for their work.  He referred to attendance at meetings and commented that whilst attendance at most meetings of the Council were recorded there was a significant number of additional meetings attended by Elected Members as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18