Decision details

The Chief Executive Officer considered the report on the Member’s Allowances Scheme presented to Members at the informal meeting of the County Council Members held on 17 November 2021 and, having taken into account the comments made by Members at the informal meeting and all relevant information, agreed, under his emergency delegated powers:
• An increase of 1.75% to the Basic Allowance and all unit-based Special Responsibility Allowances for the 2022/23 financial year; and
• That, if there are any increases in the travel and subsistence rates payable to staff, a similar increase be made to the rates in the Members’ Allowances Scheme, to come into effect at the same time.

By whom: Richard Flinton, Chief Executive Officer, under his emergency delegated powers and after consultation with Members at the informal meeting of the County Council held on 17 November 2021.

Under his delegated decision making powers in the Officers’ Delegation Scheme in the Council’s Constitution, the Chief Executive Officer has power, in cases of emergency, to take any decision which could be taken by the Council, the Executive or a committee.

Following on from the expiry of the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 (“the 2020 Regulations”), which allowed for committee meetings to be held remotely, the County Council resolved at its meeting on 5 May 2021 that, for the present time, in light of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic circumstances, remote live-broadcast committee meetings should continue, with any formal decisions required being taken by the Chief Executive Officer under his emergency decision making powers and after consultation with other Officers and Members as appropriate and after taking into account any views of the relevant Committee Members. This approach has been periodically reviewed since that time and will be further reviewed by full Council at its February 2022 meeting.

The Chief Executive Officer took all relevant information into account in exercising his emergency delegated powers in this matter, including considering the views of the Members at the informal meeting of the County Council Members held on 17 November 2021.

The reasons for the decision in this matter are as detailed in: IRP Report.pdf (northyorks.gov.uk)

N/A.