Agenda and minutes

To note any changes to the membership.

1.1           It was noted that Councillor David Harvey had replaced Councillor Gotz Mohindra.

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of the existence and nature of any pecuniary interests or any other significant interest in matters on this agenda.

2.1      There were no declarations of interest.

To sign the minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2021.

3.1      RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2021 be signed as a correct record of proceedings.

Report of the Executive Director for Growth, Planning and Housing.

4.1      Andrea Luker, Head of Housing Innovation and Improvement, presented a report to the Committee providing details of a complaint submitted by a leaseholder through the Council’s complaints process and to the Housing Ombudsman. Following this complaint, a compensation payment of £3,790 was required to be paid to the leaseholder from the Housing Revenue Account.

4.2      The Committee briefly discussed the report and noted that the details of the complaint had been circulated prior to the meeting and that the payment had been approved by the Executive Director for Growth, Planning and Housing.

           RESOLVED:

           That the payment of the compensation made to comply with the Housing Ombudsman’s order be noted.

Report of the Senior Committee and Governance Officer.

5.1      The Senior Committee and Governance Officer introduced the report and advised that the proposed scheme, effective from 1 April 2022 for 2022-2023 had been prepared on the basis of the current scheme, subject to the number of Deputy Leaders for both political parties of the Council being reduced to one each. As in previous years regard had been given to the findings and recommendations detailed in the most recent report of the London Council’s Independent Panel on the Remuneration of Councillors.

5.2      The Committee had previously endorsed the principle of increasing members’ allowances in line with the increase awarded to all staff each year. As there was less certainty on the settlement of any pay increase to be awarded to staff in 2022, a specific increase had not been put forward in the report. It was proposed that any increase to the Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances would be applied in line with any increase in salary for council staff agreed by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services and that this would be backdated from the 1 April 2022.

5.3      In considering the proposals the Committee noted the views of both political parties of the Council.

           RESOLVED:

1)             That the Council be recommended to approve the Members’ Allowances Scheme attached as Appendix A for 2022-2023 with effect from 1 April 2022.

2)             That the Council be recommended to agree to increase the Members’ Allowances (Basis and SRA) for 2022-2023 in line with any salary increase for Council staff that may be agreed by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services.