Agenda item

To consider a report from the Independent Remuneration Panel on the review of Members’ Allowances.

The Director of Legal and Democratic presented the Independent Remuneration Panel’s findings and recommendations following their review of the Dorset Council Scheme of Member’s Allowances.

 

He further advised that the Dorset Council Scheme of Members’ Allowances had previously been reviewed in 2020.

 

It was proposed by Cllr N Ireland and seconded by Cllr A Parry

 

Decision

 

(a)           Basic Allowance (BA): That the basic allowance be increased to £16,000 per annum with effect from 1 April 2025

 

(b)           Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA’s): That the following SRAs be payable as from 1 April 2025:

 

Leader of the Council	£38,000;
Executive / Cabinet Members (including Deputy Leader)	£23,500;
Chair of the Council	£11,000;
Vice-Chair of the Council	£5,500;
Chairs of Audit and Governance Committee, Overview committees, Scrutiny committees, and all planning committees (including strategic)	£11,000;
Chair of the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee	£7,500;
Chairs of all other committees listed in Article 8 and the Dorset Police and Crime Panel and the Corporate Parenting Board in Article 11 of the Dorset Council Constitution	£5,500;
Minority Group Leaders      (Note: Minority Parties must have a membership of not less than 10% of Dorset Council for their Leader to receive an SRA).	£5,500.

 

 

(c)           Indexation of Allowances:

 

(i)             That both the BA and SRAs be updated annually to reflect the annual pay award to staff and that this indexation commence from 1 April 2026.

 

(ii)           That where a consolidated fixed sum pay award be made, the BA and SRAs be increased by the percentage increase applied to salary scale point 43.

 

(iii)          That indexation of BA and SRAs continue for the period 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.

 

(d)           Co-opted and Independent Member Allowance:

(i)             That no further increase be applied to the Co-opted and Independent members’ allowances.

 

(ii)            That these allowances be updated annually, commencing on 1 April 2026, to reflect the indexation increases applied to the BA and SRAs; and

 

(iii)          That indexation of the Co-opted and Independent Members allowance should continue for the period 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.

 

(e)           Dependant Carer’s Allowance: That the Scheme incorporates a Dependant Carer’s Allowance and to include:

 

(i)             A distinction between formal specialised care and informal care

 

(ii)            For formal specialised care the allowance should provide for the reimbursement of the actual expenditure, subject to prior agreement with the Service Manager for Democratic and Electoral Services and the provision of appropriate invoices/receipts

 

(iii)          For informal care, the maximum allowance payable should be the national minimum wage and is payable subject to the carer providing a written receipt (the process to be agreed by the Service Manager for Democratic and Electoral Services and the member making the claim)

 

(iv)          In respect of informal care, the claimant’s own household should not be excluded, subject to where a person acting as a carer already has joint caring responsibilities, payment would be subject to the prior agreement of the Service Manager for Democratic and Electoral Services.

 

(v)           Both elements of this allowance be payable for the care of dependants whether children, elderly people or people with disabilities while the member is on Council business where travel allowances was payable or otherwise by prior agreement with the Service Manager for Democratic and Electoral Services; and

 

(vi)          any members of the Council requiring specialist care or support for themselves should agree this provision with the Service Manager for Democratic and Electoral Services and the actual cost will be reimbursed upon production of receipts.

 

(f)             Travel and Subsistence:

 

(i)             Paragraph 5.2(c) of the Scheme be amended to include the payment of a mileage allowance for the attendance of a councillor at any meeting of the Council to observe the proceedings

 

(ii)            Apart from (i) above, there be no change to the current travel and subsistence allowances, other than updating the subsistence rates to reflect the officer rates for 2025.

 

(g)           Given the current procedures in place, no action be taken to introduce a Policy for Parental/Adoption/Sick/Neonatal Care Leave for councillors.

 

(h)           That councillors should not be required to pay for their car parking permits to be used only when undertaking Council business.

 

(i)             That councillors be not permitted to access the salary sacrifice scheme designed for staff.