Agenda item

The report of the Chief Executive is attached.

The Leader presented the report of the Chief Executive requesting that Council considered increasing the allowances paid to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the 2018/19 civic year, and beyond.

The Leader noted that the last report of the Independent Remuneration Panel which had been considered by Council on 5 March 2015 had recommended that a separate review of the allowances paid to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor take place as these allowances had fallen outside of the remit of the Panel (Minute No.45, 2014/15). The Leader advised that these allowances had not subsequently been reviewed, and due to the considerable expense and time undertaken by the holders of the offices of Mayor and Deputy Mayor an increase in the allowance was now being recommended.  The Leader noted that the level of allowances was needed so to ensure that the office of the Mayor remained attainable and accessible for all of those who aspired to be the Civic Leader of the Borough.

In seconding the recommendations Councillor Moore noted that the Mayoral allowance, like all other allowances, was counted as taxable income and advised that as a former Mayor he had had first-hand experience of the significant extra outgoings that being the Mayor involved. Councillor Moore advised that holding the office of Mayor was a great privilege and honour but that no one should be discouraged from becoming Mayor because of the allowance being insufficient to cover the costs involved.

Councillor Edwards noted the importance of the role of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to the Borough and agreed that it was important that the holders of these roles should not be out of pocket as a result of carrying out the role. Councillor Edwards also noted that other allowances for Councillors had increased in line with staff wage increases, but that the proposed increase to the Mayor’s and Deputy Mayor’s allowance was 33.35%. Councillor Edwards advised that he was unable to understand how this proposed increase had been arrived at, and that he was concerned that the report contained insufficient reasons and justification for such a large increase. Councillor Edwards advised that he thought the report should be looked at again and brought back to Council with more evidence of why the allowances should be increased.

Councillor Jones advised that the proposed increase to the allowances was far too lavish and was not acceptable. Councillor Jones also noted that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor still received their basic allowance as well as being able to claim for travel costs separately.  Councillor Hull spoke on behalf of former Mayor, Councillor Davidson who had given his apologies for the meeting. Councillor Hull advised that Councillor Davidson had stated that he had found the current Mayoral allowance more than adequate for the expenditure that he had incurred whilst as Mayor, and that the proposed increase was far in excess of what was needed to fulfil the requirements of the office. Councillor S Mallender advised that in the current climate of pay restraint in the public sector that this was not the time for a 33.35% increase in the Mayoral allowance. Councillor S Mallender also advised that she believed the role of Mayor could be fulfilled without such huge expenditure and noted that the cost of all travel expenses incurred in Mayoral duties could be claimed separately.

Councillor Purdue-Horan noted that the 2015 review of allowances had removed the allowance paid to the Mayor for chairing Council meetings and that this increase was just bringing back the allowance back to its previous level. Councillor Purdue-Horan noted that holding the office of Mayor was not about the allowance paid but about working in community and promoting the Borough. The Mayor noted that it was impossible to quantify the value of the office of the Mayor to the Borough and its residents.

Councillor Robinson in responding to the issues raised in the debate advised that it was essential that no one should be discouraged from wanting to become Mayor due the costs involved and that it was essential that the allowance paid to the Mayor reflected these costs adequately. 

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the allowance paid to the Mayor to be raised to £8,778.98 for the civic year 2018/19, and beyond.

b)    the allowance paid to the Deputy Mayor to be raised to £2,790.00 for the civic year 2018/19, and beyond.