Agenda item

This report outlines the annual review of the Members Allowance Scheme undertaken for 2024 - 2025.

Council RESOLVED:

(1)    To approve the Members Allowance Scheme in the proposed terms set out within the report for the 2024-25 Financial Year.

(2)    To authorise the Corporate Director of Governance to comply with the statutory requirements to publicise the Council’s Members’ Allowance Scheme.

As the final item of business to be considered, the Mayor invited Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of the Council, to introduce the report from the Corporate Director of Governance which sought approval to the proposed Members Allowance Scheme for the 2024-25 financial year.

In introducing the report, the Leader outlined the background to the proposed uplift in the level of basic, special responsibility and civic allowances for 2024-25, which members were advised had been designed to take account of the latest review completed in 2023 by the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) on behalf of London Councils and their initial review in 2022.  In recognising the importance of the representational role undertaken by members alongside the increasing challenge in terms of managing demand and supporting the delivery of local services, the proposals had also sought to ensure any uplift could be managed within the existing Members Allowance budget, given the current financial pressures faced by the Council, which he advised had resulted in a recommended uplift of 5% in basic allowance for 2024-25, comparable with the staff pay award.

As part of the annual review, members were advised that the current level of Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) had also been reviewed in line with the IRP recommendations, with a limited number of existing SRAs subsequently identified as falling outside of the recommended percentage bands for those allowances.  As a result of this and the increased workload and scope of the respective roles affected, the Leader advised that the review was also proposing an uplift in SRAs for the Chairs of the Brent Connect Area Consultative Forums and also members of the Licensing Committee.  As a final comment in presenting the proposals to members, the Leader advised that despite recognising the independence of the IRP review process he would be keen to support the establishment of a fully independent review and allowance setting mechanism for local authorities across England that would be responsible for final decisions on the setting of member allowances rather than these being matters for individual authorities to consider, having taken account of the relevant IRP review.

Prior to inviting contributions from other members on the report, the Mayor advised that as the remaining time available for the meeting was shortly due to expire she would be moving a further suspension of Standing Order 44 (Council Guillotine Procedure) in order to extend the time of the meeting by another 10 minutes in order to enable the conclusion of the debate on this item and closure of the meeting.  In accordance with Standing Order 42 (d) the procedural motion was put to the vote without further discussion and declared CARRIED.

The Mayor then moved on to invite contributions from other members.

In response to the proposals outlined, both Councillor Kansagra (as Leader of the Conservative Group) and Councillor Georgiou (as Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group) highlighted concerns in relation to the justification provided and appropriateness of seeking an uplift in the specific SRAs outlined in the report based on the limited detail provided and also current arrangements for chairing the Brent Connect Area Consultative Forums, with further benchmarking against comparative rates also identified as required.

As no other members indicated they wished to speak the Mayor invited Councillor M.Butt to exercise his right of reply. In response to the concerns identified and in closing the debate, the Leader once again highlighted that the proposals in relation to SRAs had been designed to bring those specific allowances in line with the IRPs recommended percentage bands whilst also reflecting the increase in scope and workload for both roles with reference made to the increase in range and number of Licensing Sub Committees alongside the enhanced role of the Connect Area Consultative Forum Chairs in relation to neighbourhood level engagement and new approach towards community grants.  On this basis, he ended by commending the report as submitted to Council.

Having thanked Councillor M.Butt for closing the debate, the Mayor then put the recommendations in the report to the vote and they were declared CARRIED (with all members of the Conservative Group and Liberal Democrats Group voting against).

Council therefore RESOLVED:

(1)    To approve the Members Allowance Scheme in the proposed terms set out within the report for the 2024-25 Financial Year.

(2)    To authorise the Corporate Director of Governance to comply with the statutory requirements to publicise the Council’s Members’ Allowance Scheme.