Members’ Allowances Scheme
The Council has made a scheme for the payment of allowances to its Members and this is set out over the page.
An Independent Remuneration Panel has been established to advise the Council upon its Members’ Allowances Scheme. In accordance with the Panel’s recommendations, the following key principles shall underpin the Scheme:
(1) It is important to encourage individuals to be involved in the work of the Council. People of all backgrounds and ages should feel attracted to become Councillors if they so wish, and at the very least the allowance structure should put no barriers in their way.
(2) The work of a Councillor requires commitment and – if the role is to be carried out well – a significant investment of time. Councillors have a wide ranging role varying from local issues to the national scene. It is the Government’s intention that this should be reasonably and properly remunerated.
(3) That said, we do not wish to see the Public Service ethos lost from our Council. A balance has to be struck between paying ‘a rate for the job’ and recognising the significant Public Service element that is rightfully a strong feature of our system of local government.
(4) The cost of any scheme must give value for money.
(5) Any system must be easily understood, transparent and ensure accountability to the electorate.