Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were received.

An apology for absence was received from Mrs. Susan Lowe.

Minutes of the meeting held on 14 October 2013

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 October 2013 be confirmed as a correct record.

In connection with Minute No. 5 (2) (relating to the review of the dependent’s carers’ allowance) Andrea Watts, Head of Governance and Civic Services advised that the new allowance came into force on 1 May 2014.

In connection with Minute No. 6 (2) (ii) (relating to consultation on the issue of elected Members’ pensions) Andrea Watts, Head of Governance and Civic Services advised that she had liaised with the Cabinet Member – Corporate Services and Performance on this matter. The Cabinet Member requested that consultations be undertaken with Sefton’s Members once the outcome of the Government’s national consultation exercise was released. However, Regulations were laid before Parliament on 10 March 2014 under the negative resolution arrangements that abolished taxpayer-funded pensions for Councillors and therefore a decision on this matter had been taken. Accordingly, there was nothing to consult Members on. (Minute No. 12 refers to this issue).   

Ministerial Statement from Brandon Lewis, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government attached

Further to Minute No. 6 (2)(i) of the meeting held 14 October 2014 the Panel considered a Ministerial Statement, dated 11 March 2014, from Brandon Lewis MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government, on the Local Government Pension Scheme affecting local authority elected Members.  

The Statement indicated that a statutory consultation had been undertaken between April and July 2013 on the Government’s intention to abolish taxpayer-funded pensions for Councillors; and that the regulations had now been laid before Parliament to abolish such taxpayer-funded pensions for new Councillors in England and other elected office holders from 1 April 2014, and terminate access for existing Councillors at the end of their current fixed term of office (for example, from May 2014, in relation to Councillors with elections this year).

RESOLVED:

That the Regulations laid before Parliament to abolish taxpayer-funded pensions for Councillors be noted.

To consider the attached correspondence received from Councillor Dawson

The Panel considered correspondence from Councillor Dawson asking that in future when considering the scheme of Members’ Allowances, the Panel take into account the Special Responsibility Allowances and Basic Allowances made to Members across the North West region, and in particular, in authorities of a similar size and complexity to Sefton.

Members were advised that when approving the latest Scheme of Members’ Allowances on 6 June 2012, the Panel considered statistical information relating to Basic Allowances (BA’s) paid to Members in the north west region and BA’s paid to Members of comparable local authorities, by population, that was extracted from the most recent Local Government Association Survey undertaken in 2008; and that this survey also included details of Special Responsibility Allowances.  

RESOLVED:  That

To consider a date for the next meeting of the Panel

RESOLVED:

That the Head of Governance and Civic Services be requested to consult with Panel Members in due course regarding the date of the next meeting.

The Chair, Canon Roger Driver, advised that this would be his last meeting of the Panel; and thanked Panel Members and officers for their help and support to him over many years.

Andrea Watts, Head of Governance and Civic Services, thanked Canon Driver for his professional chairmanship of the Panel over the last six years and for his valuable contributions and commitment to the Panel over the past nine years.

RESOLVED:

That the best thanks of the Panel be extended to Canon Driver for his valuable role on the Panel during the past nine years and that he be wished every success for the future.