Allowances for Buckinghamshire County Council

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Buckinghamshire County Council Independent Remuneration Panel __________________________________________________________________________________ The Evidence Reviewed and Recommendations A Robust Foundation 14. The Panel observed that the allowances scheme for Buckinghamshire County Council was still broadly appropriate in structure and scope. The Panel was convinced that the Members’ Allowances scheme needed amendment rather than fundamental reformation. The Basic Allowance 15. The Panel noted that the Basic Allowance for 20006/07 (£9,999) is neither the highest or lowest Basic Allowance paid by English county councils. On information from the County Council Network from 2005 it is somewhat above the average, which was £8,432 in 2005, with two thirds of county councils paying between £7,000 and £9,708 as a Basic Allowance. At 2005 levels this evaluation places the Buckinghamshire Basic Allowance in the upper third percentile. However, on information supplied directly by county councils to the South East Employers Organisation (SEE) in May 2006 on allowances paid in county councils in the south east, which this panel regards as more relevant and up to date comparator, it shows that the average Basic Allowance for county councils in the region for 2006/07 is £9,916 and the median is £9,999. Table One: SEE Survey of Allowances May 2006 South East County Councils Basic Allowance Buckinghamshire £9,999 East Sussex £9,549 Hampshire £11,286 Kent £12,000 Oxfordshire £7,000 Surrey £10,000 West Sussex £9,581 Mean £9,916 Median £9,999 16. In other words, it places the Buckinghamshire Basic Allowance in the middle of its regional peers. Thus, a comparative approach indicated to the Panel that the Buckinghamshire County Council Basic Allowance, while relatively generous nationally was less so regionally and is still broadly appropriate. Cross Checking the Basic Allowance? September 2006 4
Buckinghamshire County Council Independent Remuneration Panel __________________________________________________________________________________ 17. To cross check, the Panel replicated the methodology utilised by the Panel in the 2001 review to arrive at the Basic Allowance with up dated variables. 18. In 2001, the three variables and their values used in arriving at the Basic Allowance were: I. Time Necessary to fulfil role: 850 hours per year II. Public Service Discount: one third or 280 hours per year III. Rate for Job: Local Government Association (LGA daily session rate, £15 p/hour (2001) Expected Minimum Time Inputs 19. The time deemed necessary to fulfil the role of ordinary Member was originally 850 hours per year (or just over 16 hours per week), recognising that as a voluntary role some Members were and are in position to and do put in more hours. The Panel felt that 850 hours per annum as minimum expected time input is still appropriate in 2006. Public Service Discount 20. The Panel originally discounted 280 hours, or one third of the hours deemed necessary to fulfil the role, for public service. In other words, one third of the expected time commitment was to be given as pro bono publico. This requirement is also included in the statutory guidance and since 2001, what has become known as the public service discount, has settled down around the one third mark nationally. The Panel was content that 570 remunerated hours per year for which to calculate the Basic Allowance was still appropriate. Rate for the Job 21. The third variable was to apply a rate for the job to the remunerated (570) hours. The Panel originally applied regional version of the LGA daily session rate. The LGA daily session rate is a daily rate published annually by the LGA and, while not the officially sanctioned rate of what the LGA deems Councillors are worth, it is a rate the LGA suggests allowances panel may find useful. It has been used extensively by panels for arriving at their recommended Basic Allowances. This rate was originally based on the national average male non-manual salary which was approximately £14 per hour in 2001. In 2001 the Buckinghamshire Panel took a south east version of this rate, which was £15 per hour. The Original Formula to Arrive at the 2001 Basic Allowance 22. In 2001 the Basic Allowance was arrived at by the following formula: September 2006 5
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Allowances for Buckinghamshire County Council

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