Allowances for Buckinghamshire County Council

Buckinghamshire County Council
Independent Remuneration Panel
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31. The national dimension, while not experiencing growth to the same
degree as the regional dimension, is one that has continued to develop
for the following reasons:
N
N
The Leadership is expected to meet ministers, civil servants and
other political figures to lobby on behalf of the council.
The Leader is also on the County Council Network Executive
Committee, the LGA Strategy and Finance Policy Review Group
and the LGA European and International Policy Review Group.
32. The Panel further notes that the Buckinghamshire Constitution
specifically designates “external relations” to the Leader, with specific
responsibility for “furthering the Council’s interests in the South East
region, nationally and in Europe.” (Part 3, Section H, 3.16)
33. Therefore, the Panel recognises that the regional and national aspect
of the Leader’s role is no longer incidental to the post. This Panel now
does believe that the post of Leader requires him/her to be active in
regional and national affairs and it should be recognised by additional
payment for this work.
34. As a result of the evidence received the Panel concluded that the role
of Leader had become larger since 2001 and to a lesser extent so as
that of the Deputy Leader. Consequently, it decided that the Leader’s
SRA merited an increase from £37,053 to £40,000 per annum.
35. The Panel noted that the total recommended remuneration package for
the Leader of Buckinghamshire, while making it one of the highest paid
Council leaders is not the highest paid in England or Wales nor is it as
high as a back bench MP, a post which the previous review recognised
has much less responsibility than the Leader of Buckinghamshire
County Council. Furthermore, the previous review had also applied a
public service discount of 33 per cent to the Leader’s (and all other
SRAs), a notional discount that is still applied by this review.
The Post of Deputy Leader
36. The Panel noted that the national and regional implications for the
Leader also have impacted on the Deputy Leader but to a lesser extent
than in the case of the Leader. The Deputy Leader also has an external
responsibility across Buckinghamshire and regional aspect to the post
with particular responsibility for the following:
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