Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel is attached.

The sixth matter requiring approval was in relation to the Members’ Allowances Scheme.

The Civic Mayor moved and it was seconded by Councillor George Davies, that,

“The recommendations in the report be approved.”

An amendment was moved by Councillor Pat Cleary, seconded by Councillor Chris Cooke, as follows:

“Replace Recommendation (1) with the following:

Council notes:

·  The relatively very large special responsibility allowance (SRA) recommended for members of the Liverpool City Region (LCR) Transport Committee (£5,675) plus the additional allowance for a Lead Member (£4,433) and that all Transport Committee members currently enjoy free public transport across the LCR.

·  The lack of any recommended allowance for Vice Chairs of the Policy and Services committees

·  The unexplained thresholds for the SRA for the Deputy Leader of the third largest group (at least six members) and the Leader of Other Groups (at least three members)

·  The potentially perverse outcomes of the current recommendations whereby, for example, the Deputy Leader of a third largest group comprising of at least six members would receive a SRA four times greater than the Leader of a Group with five members (£4,800/£1,200)

Council therefore agrees to approve the Members’ Allowance Scheme detailed in Appendix 1 to the report and the schedule of approved duties with the following changes:

Amend the Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) payable to LCR Transport Committee members to align with the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (£1,834) and to amend the additional SRA payable to a Lead Member of the Transport Committee to the same amount (£1,834);

Council also agrees to ask the Remuneration Panel as part of its planned review in the next municipal year to specifically consider:

1.  The introduction of SRAs for Vice Chairs of the Policy and Services Committees.

2.  Adjustments to the scheme to remove the potential for perverse outcomes as detailed above.

and to write to the Chair of the LCR Transport Committee detailing this decision.”

After a debate, and in response to questions from Members, the Director of Law and Governance confirmed that the cost of the new scheme would be roughly the same as the previous scheme, taking account of the fact some Members would hold more than one position but would only be eligible to claim for one special responsibility allowance. With regard to any payments to Vice-Chairs as proposed in the amendment he was not aware that any calculations had been costed up nor that any approach had been made for referral back to the Independent Remuneration Panel.

Following a debate the amendment was put and lost (2:58) (Two abstentions).

A second amendment to the recommendation was then circulated, moved by Councillor Janette Williamson and seconded by Councillor Anita Leech, that,

“This Council accepts the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel and thanks the panel for its work. We recognise that it is important that Councillors receive remuneration so that the broadest possible range of people are enabled to take up the role. However, at this time, we are not accepting the suggested 5% increase in Councillor allowances. We are keenly aware of the increased hardships suffered by many Wirral residents as a result of the current pandemic and we are not prepared to add to the financial demands on the Council at this time. We will review this aspect of the panel’s report at an appropriate point in the future.”

The Civic Mayor then adjourned the meeting for 10 minutes at 8.55pm.

The meeting resumed at 9.12pm.

Following a debate the second amendment was put and carried (55:2) (Three abstentions).

The substantive motion was then put and it was -

Resolved (unanimously) -

(1)  That the Council approves the Members’ Allowances Scheme detailed in Appendix 1 to the report and the schedule of approved duties, apart from the recommendation in respect of increasing the basic allowance by 5%.

(2)  This Council accepts the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel and thanks the panel for its work. We recognise that it is important that Councillors receive remuneration so that the broadest possible range of people are enabled to take up the role. However, at this time, we are not accepting the suggested 5% increase in Councillor allowances. We are keenly aware of the increased hardships suffered by many Wirral residents as a result of the current pandemic and we are not prepared to add to the financial demands on the Council at this time. We will review this aspect of the panel’s report at an appropriate point in the future.

(3)  That the Independent Remuneration Panel be requested to undertake a review of the Scheme in the next municipal year in respect to the allocation of Special Responsibility Allowances to take account of actual experience of the Committee system in operation.