That, in accordance with the decision of Council Minute 95/2/24(9), the Members Allowances Scheme 2023/2024 (as attached to this Record of Decision) be updated.

The Council is required, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 to establish and maintain an Independent Renumeration Panel to keep the Members’ Allowances Scheme under review and to convene the Panel before it makes any changes or amendments to the existing Members’ Allowances Scheme.

An alternative option would be that the Council accepts and implements all the recommendations of the Independent Renumeration Panel as set out in its report, or, Members’ Allowances remain at the current level as set out in the 2019 Scheme, or, that the Council chooses to adopt some of the recommendations of the Independent Review Panel and not others.

The decision will come into force immediately.

The previous Members’ Allowances Scheme came into force in May 2019 following a review of the Independent Renumeration Panel upon the introduction of a new system of governance moving from the directly elected Mayor and Executive to the Leader and Cabinet model.

Since the last review in 2019 there had been further changes with the creation of two Scrutiny Sub-boards relating to Adult Social Care and Health and Children’s and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny and in accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 it was a statutory requirement that a review should be undertaken in 2023.

Following an independent review of members’ allowances during the latter half of 2023, the Council received the report of the Independent Renumeration Panel’s review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme and approved the updated Scheme as attached to this Record of Decision.

None.