Issue - decisions

a)         That the Council’s response to consultation on the draft annual report for 2014/15 be as follows:

1. The Council expresses concern about the two proposed changes to introduce more local choice in relation to the payments to be made to Committee Chairs, Civic Heads and Deputy Civic Heads (determinations 3 and 6 in the draft annual report).  One of the most important features of the Councillors’ allowance in Wales is that it is independent of those who receive those allowances.  Greater local choice on the level of allowances could therefore give rise to the appearance of a conflict of interest and should be rejected.
2. In relation to the first and second determinations in the draft report relating to increases in basic allowances/salary and the payments to the Leader, Deputy Leader and other Cabinet members, the Council believes it would be inequitable for Members to receive a greater increase in their pay than the majority of Council staff and would only favour these increases if those staff on NJC terms and conditions were receiving at least a 1% increase in their pay.
3. The Council agrees with the proposal of removing the maximum reimbursement for an overnight stay in Cardiff so that for all overnight stays outside of London the maximum reimbursement would be £95.
4. The draft annual report does not propose any increase in the number of Councillors who can be paid for having special responsibilities and therefore does not address the discrepancy between those Councils who have a larger number of Councillors (such as Flintshire) and those that do not (such as Isle of Anglesey).  Only 25.7% of Flintshire’s membership can receive payments for their special responsibilities whereas in Anglesey it is 50% and there is no good reason for this discrepancy.

(b)       That the Democracy and Governance Manager be the appropriate officer for the purposes of the determinations in paragraph 4(i) and (iii) of  Appendix 1