Meeting documents

To receive a report from the Monitoring Officer.

The Council resolved to:

1. Welcome and thank the Panel for its report and recommendations set out in Appendix 1

2. Support and agree the Panel’s recommendations in respect of:

i)               the Chair and Vice Chair of Scrutiny Polices and Environment Committee and the Joint Scrutiny Committee for Local Government Reorganisation be set at Bands 5 and 6 respectively

ii)              the Chair of Standards Committee be set at Band 6

iii)            that the Council supports the need for a fundamental review of the Members’ Scheme of Allowances for 2023/24 and for this to be reported to the Council by February 2023.  The Council supports the approach to the fundamental review being undertaken in three parts:

1. The Basic Allowance

2. The SRAs

3. Other allowances, such as travel, subsistence and carers

With the BA being considered soonest. The role of co-opted members, including Independent Remuneration Panel members themselves, should also be considered and this could fit within either part 2 or part 3

3. Reject the Panel’s recommendations in respect of:

i) the role of opposition spokesperson should no longer receive an SRA and instead retain the current SRA band for the role of opposition spokesperson.

Reason - it is felt that the level of time and commitment given by Opposition Spokespersons warrants an allowance in line with the Council’s arrangements for several years and in view of the members involvement as part of the transition to the new Somerset Council.

ii)              the SRAs for Associate Lead Members be set at Band 7 and instead retain these at Band 6.

Reason - it is felt the reduction to Band 7 does not adequately reflect the support and time that Associate Lead Members provide when compared to comparable roles and therefore to retain the SRA for these roles at Band 6 as previously agreed by the Council in February 2022.

iii)            the Chair and Vice Chair of Constitution & Governance Committee be set at Bands 6 and 7 respectively and instead propose that these are set at Bands 5 and 6 respectively.

Reason - it is felt that the level of time and commitment given by these roles during the transition to the new Somerset Council should warrant SRAs of Band 5 and 6 respectively in line with the Chair and Vice Chair of Audit Committee.

iv)            the Leader of a political group receives a SRA where the membership of the political group is 5 or more and instead agree that the Leader of a political group receives a SRA where the membership of the political group is 3 or more.

Reason - it is felt that the minimum level should be set at 3 to reflect the Council’s arrangements for several years and in view of all political group leaders with the transition to the new Somerset Council.

4. (a) Support the Panel’s recommendation in respect of the formation of an Independent Remuneration Panel for Somerset Council but with an amendment to reflect the Council’s intention to accelerate the formation of the Panel by Autumn 2022:

"Council undertakes the necessary work to ensure that an Independent Remuneration Panel is in place for the new unitary council by autumn 2022 and that in terms of membership the Council considers:

 a) people who reside in Somerset and drawn from the existing panels operative in the county at present;

b) a wide geographical spread of members from across the county; and

c) a minimum membership of five

(b) Authorise the Monitoring Officer to undertake all necessary actions to implement recommendations above including the recruitment and appointment of panel members to the new Independent Remuneration Panel.