The Council considered the submitted report which set out the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel on its review of Members’ Allowances.

It was proposed by Councillor Tyerman and seconded by Councillor Lewis:

(i)         that all proposed increases or decreases set out in the Independent Remuneration Panel’s Report be rejected;

(ii)        that the rates for travel be the same as those set in the Torbay Council Expenses Policy and be paid for all approved duties (e.g. 40p for car, 24p for motorbike and 20p for bicycle per mile);

(iii)       that subsistence be paid in accordance with the rates set out in the Torbay Council Expenses Policy for approved duties (e.g. breakfast – depart from home before 7.30 a.m. £6.22; lunch – absent from normal place of work between 11.30 a.m. and 2.15 p.m. £7.35; and evening meal – not home before 6.30 p.m. £10.17);

(iv)      that the following be identified as approved duties for the purpose of travel, subsistence and childcare and dependent carers’ allowances:

(i)         attendance at meetings as a duly appointed member of:

(a)       the Council and any committee of the Council;

(b)       any sub-committee appointed by a committee;

(c)        the Executive or committee of the Executive (if appointed);

(d)       working parties;

(e)       scrutiny review panels;

(f)        policy development groups;

(g)       any outside organisation and their sub-groups appointed by the Council or the Mayor, provided that the organisation does not pay any such expenses (these are listed on each Councillor’s details page on the Council’s internet at http://www.torbay.gov.uk/DemocraticServices/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1);

(ii)        attendance at site visits for planning or licensing purposes or as part of overview and scrutiny;

(iii)       attendance at member development sessions;

(iv)       attendance at seminars and all member briefings organised by Torbay Council, except for those held immediately prior to a meeting of Council;

(v)        attendance at non-political conferences, subject to prior approval by the relevant Group Leader and Governance Support Manager and funding for the conference being available (in accordance with the Local Protocol for the Mayor and Political Groups);

(v)       that the Basic Allowances, Special Responsibility Allowances and Co-optees Allowances be indexed from 1 April 2013 to the annual local government pay percentage increase as agreed by the National Joint Committee for Local Government Services.  The travel and subsistence allowances will be up-rated as and when the Council’s Expenses Policy is adjusted and the whole allowances Scheme will be reviewed by no later than 2015;

(vi)      that the Governance Support Manager be requested to bring the Members’ Allowances Scheme up to date and to ensure that approved duties are clear;

(vii)     that the Governance Support Manager be requested to investigate alternative methods of providing broadband for members to reduce the cost of this service whilst ensuring that no member is disadvantaged by the new arrangements, with a view to ceasing providing Council installed broadband lines and members making their own arrangements and being reimbursed for the cost of broadband through their expenses claims; and

(viii)    that the Executive Head of Business Services be requested, in consultation with the Group Leaders, to introduce a parking scheme for Members which allows for an annual parking permit.

An amendment was proposed by Councillor Pentney and seconded by Councillor Darling:

Deletion of the words ‘or decreases’ from paragraph (i) of the proposal so that it (i) reads as follows:

(i)         that all proposed increases set out in the Independent Remuneration Panel’s Report be rejected and the reductions stand, which will save the Council £5,608;

On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared lost.

A further amendment was proposed by Councillor Parrott and seconded by Councillor Cowell:

That paragraph (i) be amended to read as follows:

(i)         that all proposed increases and decreases set out in the Independent Remuneration Panel’s Report be adopted, resulting in a saving of £3,196, but with the following adjustments:

(a)       with regard to the Panel’s recommendation (i) that the Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) for the Elected Mayor be set at £46,500;

(b)       with regard to the Panel’s recommendation (n) that the SRA for the Overview & Scrutiny Co-ordinator be set at £8,000, thereby bringing it into line with the SRA payable to a Deputy Mayor without Portfolio (see (k));  and

(c)        with regard to the Panel’s recommendations (u) and (v) that the SRA for the Chair of the Harbour Committee and the Chair of the Audit Committee be set at £4,000, thereby better recognising the budgetary and auditing duties involved;

On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared lost.

The original motion was then put to the vote and declared carried.