Issue - meetings

(1) It is anticipated that a Minute for Confirmation regarding Councillors' Allowances 2020/21 - Recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel will arise from the meeting of the Cabinet to be held on 1^st July 2020.

The report relating to this item is attached and is available on the Council’s website.  A copy of the Minute of the Cabinet will be circulated under separate cover following the Cabinet meeting.        

(2) To consider a Minute for Confirmation from the Health and Wellbeing Board:

·         Minute 6 (A Local Outbreak Management Plan for Swindon)

The report relating to this item is attached and is available on the Council’s website.  A copy of the Minute of the Health and Wellbeing Board will be circulated under separate cover.        

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(1) Councillor David Renard moved and Councillor Russell Holland seconded That Minute 12 of the Cabinet (Allowances 2020/21 - Recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel) be confirmed and adopted.

Councillor Stan Pajak moved and Councillor Andy Spry Seconded:

“That Minute 12 of the Cabinet be amended to include a 10% cut in Members’ Allowances.”

The amendment was put to the vote and declared lost.

The Substantive Resolution (Cabinet Minute 12) was put to the vote and declared carried.

(2) Councillor David Renard moved and Councillor Brian Ford seconded that Minute 6(1) (A Local Outbreak Management Plan for Swindon) be confirmed and adopted.

The resolution was put to the vote and declared carried.

The Leader of the Council and the Chief Legal Officer (Monitoring Officer) submitted a joint report inviting Cabinet to consider the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel on Councillors’ Allowances for 2021/2022. The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Commercialisation, Education and Skills asked colleagues to thank the Independent Remuneration Panel members for their work in producing the recommendations.

Resolved: (1) That it be noted that the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel on Councillors’ Allowances for 2021/2022 were considered and recommend to Council that (Minute for Confirmation).

(2) The levels of Councillors’ Basic Allowance, Special Responsibility Allowances, and Travel, Subsistence and Dependent Care Allowances remain unchanged for the 2021/2022 Municipal Year.

(3) The level of Basic Allowance be index linked to the percentage increase in pay awarded to officers in the national round for a period of four years (commencing in May 2021 and ending in May 2025).

(4) The Council be asked to take a view on the Panel investigating the introduction of a Parental Leave Policy for Councillors.

(5) The Chief Legal Officer be authorised to introduce a revised Councillors’ Allowances Scheme for 2021/2022, as attached at Appendix One, based on the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel, as approved and adopted by the Council.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the report to the meeting.

To consider Minutes for Confirmation from the Cabinet:

(1)  Minute 11 (Councillors’ Allowances 2020/21 – Recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel).     

(2)  It is anticipated that a Minute for Confirmation regarding the Swindon Borough Local Plan Review - 2nd Regulation 18 Consultation (Preferred & Emerging Options) will arise from the meeting of the Cabinet to be held on 10^th July 2019.

The report relating to this item is available on the Council’s website.  A copy of the Minute of the Cabinet will be circulated under separate cover following the Cabinet meeting.                        .

          (1) Councillor David Renard moved and Councillor Russell Holland seconded:

“That Minute 11 of the Cabinet (Councillors’ Allowances 2020/21 – Recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel) be confirmed and adopted.”

          The resolution was put to the vote and declared carried.

(2) Councillor Garry Sumner moved and Councillor David Renard seconded:

“That Minute 19 of the Cabinet (Swindon Borough Local Plan Review – 2^nd Regulation 18 Consultation (Preferred and Emerging Options) be confirmed and adopted.”

          Councillor Jane Milner-Barry moved and Councillor Stan Pajak seconded that the resolution be amended to read: 

“This Council:

·       Notes Cabinet’s proposal at its 10^th July meeting to authorise for public consultation the preferred and ‘emerging’ options of the Swindon Borough Local Plan Review.

·       Believes that in order to conform to the Government’s mission of halving the energy use of new buildings by 2030 and avoid costly retrofitting, an additional policy needs to be included on sustainable building.

·       Agrees to add to the draft Local Plan for consultation the following policy:

Policy DM2 Design of Buildings

a.     New build residential development shall achieve reductions in CO2 emissions of 19% below the Target Emission Rate of the 2013 Edition of the 2010 Building Regulations (Part L) through insulation and high levels of fabric efficiency. 

b.     All new non-residential buildings shall achieve the BREEAM “Excellent” rating.

c.     All development proposals will be expected to demonstrate how internal overheating will be avoided by the use of passive cooling and ventilation.

d.     New residential developments will be monitored by random post-construction testing to ensure that measured energy consumption is in line with modelled performance.

e.     All new developments (including single buildings) shall source a minimum of 25% of their total energy requirement from generation on site.”

The Amendment was put to the vote and declared carried.

The substantive resolution was put to the vote and declared carried.

(Councillor Roger Smith made a personal declaration of interest in respect of (2) in his capacity as an employee of Savills.)

Mr Keith Strickland, Chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel, submitted a report inviting Cabinet to consider recommendations arising from meetings of the Independent Remuneration Panel on the level of Councillors’ Allowances in Swindon for 2020/2021.

As Mr Strickland could not be present, the Leader of the Council introduced the report and summarised the limited recommendations that Council would be asked to consider. Councillor Holland supported the recommendations and noted the benefits of the allowances in making being a councillor accessible to a wider range of the public.

The Leader of the Council at the request of Cabinet Members asked for confirmation that there was parity of Special Responsibility between all the Committee Chairs, including the Chair of Licensing.

Resolved:-

1.    That the thorough and comprehensive review undertaken by the Independent Remuneration Panel be noted, and the Panel Chair and members be thanked for their work.

2.    That the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel on Councillors’ Allowances for 2020/2021, as set out in paragraph 3.5 be considered, and that these recommendations be referred the Council.

3.    That, if the recommendations be approved by Council, the Chief Legal Officer be authorised to introduce a revised Councillors’ Allowances Scheme for 2020/2021, based on the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the report to the meeting.