The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report, which advised that the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRWP) had issued its Draft Annual Report for consultation. The purpose of the report was for the Committee to provide its views in respect of the draft report. A response would be submitted to the IRWP and the WLGA by the deadline of 30 November 2015. The draft report was attached to the main covering report at Appendix A.

The Head of Democratic Services gave a resume of the report, and reiterated the following for the benefit of Committee Members:-

1.    The basic salary to all elected Members would remain unchanged

2.    The Leader’s salary would remain unchanged

3.    The Deputy Leader’s salary would be slightly reduced as per the report

4.    Four Cabinet Members salaries would remain at £29k, with any further Cabinet Members salary being reduced to £29,600

5.    No changes to Mayor’s or Deputy Mayor’s salary allowance

6.    Two proposed levels of remuneration for Chairpersons of Committees ie Level 1 £22k and Level 2 £20k

7.    An allowance of £20k (reduced from £22k) for the Leader of the largest opposition group to the majority group

8.    No changes to remuneration for Committee Co-opted Members

The remainder of the report related to information Supporting the work of local authority Elected Members; reimbursement of travel, subsistence and care costs when on official business, payments to members of Town/Community Councils and salaries of Heads of Paid Service.

The Head of Democratic Services advised Members that compliance in respect of the IRPW requirements remained extant, and that it should be noted that earlier this year the IRPW identified Bridgend’s Schedule of Remuneration as an exemplar of good practice, and this was circulated to all Local Authorities in Wales.

A Member felt that whilst the IRWP had been established primarily to look at Councillors allowances, he considered that the Panel seemed obliged each year to alter in some way or another these allowances. He also added that whilst they were looking to reduce allowances in some way or another for local government Members, allowances for Welsh Assembly Government Members were increasing. He asked how much the proposals would save the Authority.

The Head of Democratic Services confirmed that if the proposals in the report were to materialise, the adjustments to allowances would save the Authority around £25 - £30k a year.

A Member stated that some of the proposals under valued the Chairpersons of statutory and/or regulatory Committees, as opposed to Overview and Scrutiny Committees. The former Committees however, met more frequently, and made decisions that were challengeable through various types of appeal processes, ie the Licensing Sub-Committee, Appeals and Development Control Committee.

Members having considered the report, together with the Draft Annual Report of the IRPW (Appendix A to covering report), and having debated the matter

RESOLVED:              The Committee:          

1.                  Provided views on the Draft Annual Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel for  Wales, along the lines as expressed above.

2.             Supported the WLGA’s request to meet with the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales

3.            Supported the position that the WLGA write to the Minister following the passage of the Local Government Bill proposing a moratorium on any changes.  This should be set in the context for the need for continuity on Local Government remuneration frameworks in the run up to whatever reorganisation proposals emerge as a consequence of the Assembly Elections in 2016, and for the remaining duration of the current local government term.

4.             Supported the WLGA’s request that a fuller review could occur at a later stage in light of other factors such as proposals which may emerge from the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission on the number of Councillors in Wales.