Agenda item

(1)     Ms Kemkaran proposed, and Mr Collins seconded the motion that:

 

“The County Council is asked to:

 

a)        Note the report of the Member Remuneration Panel and thank the Panel Members for their work; and

b)        Agree the Member’s Allowances Scheme for 2025/26 as set out in Appendix A, incorporating:

i.    A reduction of 5% to the Basic Allowance.

ii.   A reduction of 5% to the Leader’s Special Responsibility Allowance, with all other SRAs being reduced in accordance with the scheme.

iii.  A reduction in 5% to the Dependent’s Carers’ Allowance.

iv. An increase in the allowance for Co-opted Members of the Governance and Audit Committee to £1,700, and an entitlement to the Carer’s Allowance.”

 

2)        Mr Brady proposed and Ms Nolan seconded the following amendment:

 

“The County Council is asked to:

 

a)      Note the report of the Member Remuneration Panel and thank the Panel Members for their work; and

b)      Agree the Member’s Allowances Scheme for 2025/26 as set out in Appendix A (as amended), incorporating:

i    A reduction of 5% to the Basic Allowance.

ii   A reduction of 5% 10% to the Leader’s Special Responsibility Allowance, with all other SRAs being reduced in accordance with the scheme.

iii  A reduction in 5% to the Dependent’s Carers’ Allowance.

iv  An increase in the allowance for Co-opted Members of the Governance and Audit Committee to £1,700, and an entitlement to the Carer’s Allowance.

c)    Recommend that the Member Remuneration Panel (MRP), as part of advising on the 4 year Allowances Scheme to be developed for 2026 onwards, be asked to consider and report on the removal of Special Responsibility Allowances for Deputy Cabinet Committee members - on the basis that this role is discretionary, not replicated at other Kent Councils and they do not have the same formal responsibilities or accountabilities that other SRA recipients.”

 

3)        Following the debate, the Chairman put the amended motion in paragraph 2 to the vote and the voting was as follows.

 

For (6)

 

Mr A Brady, Mr S Heaver, Mr M A J Hood, Mr S Jeffery, Ms C Nolan, Mr P Stepto

 

Against (48)

 

Mr J Baker, Mr O Bradshaw, Mr M Brown, Mr D Burns, Mr C Burwash, Mr A Cecil, Mr P Chamberlain, Mr B Collins, Mr J Defriend, Mr S Dixon, Ms S Emberson, Mr J Eustace, Mr L Evans, Mr P Evans, Mr J Finch, Mr R Ford, Mrs B Fordham, Mrs G Foster, Mrs M Fothergill, Mr M Fraser Moat, Mr B Fryer, Mr M Harrison, Mr J Henderson, Mr C Hespe, Ms L Kemkaran, Miss I Kemp, Mr A Kibble, Mr P King, Mrs M Lawes, Mr M Logen, Mr R Mayall, Mr T Mole, Miss D Morton, Mr M Mulvihill, Mr P Osborne, Mrs C Palmer, Mr R Palmer, Mr M Paul, Mrs B Porter, Ms A Randall, Mr D Sian, Mr G Sturley, Mr P Thomas, Mr A Thorp, Mr R Waters, Mr N Wibberley, Mrs P Williams and Mr D Wimble

 

Abstain (16)

 

Mr M Brice, Mrs T Dean MBE, Mr M Ellis, Mr A J Hook, Mrs S Hudson, Mr J Moreland, Mr M Munday, Mr T Prater, Mr H Rayner, Mr A Ricketts, Ms C Russell, Mr G R Samme, Mr C Sefton, Mr M J Sole, Mr R G Streatfeild, MBE, Mr N Williams

Motion lost.

 

4)        Mr Hook proposed and Mr Streatfeild seconded the following amendment:

 

“The County Council is asked to:

 

a)      Note the report of the Member Remuneration Panel and thank the Panel Members for their work; and

b)      Agree the Member’s Allowances Scheme for 2025/26 as set out in Appendix A (as amended), incorporating:

i    A reduction of 5% to the Basic Allowance.

ii   A reduction of 5% to the Leader’s Special Responsibility Allowance, with all other SRAs being reduced in accordance with the scheme.

iii  A reduction in 5% to the As recommended by the Independent Review Panel, an adjustment of Dependent’s Carers’ Allowance from a maximum £13.47 per hour to a maximum £13.98 per hour, payable only on production of receipts. 

iv  An increase in the allowance for Co-opted Members of the Governance and Audit Committee to £1,700, and an entitlement to the Carer’s Allowance.

c)      Agree that all money saved from the reductions above to be applied to increase the Combined Members Grants fund available to all KCC members equally.”

 

5)        The proposer and seconder of the original motion agreed to the amendment, which became the substantive motion: 

 

“The County Council is asked to:

 

a)      Note the report of the Member Remuneration Panel and thank the Panel Members for their work; and

b)      Agree the Member’s Allowances Scheme for 2025/26 as set out in Appendix A (as amended), incorporating:

i    A reduction of 5% to the Basic Allowance.

ii   A reduction of 5% to the Leader’s Special Responsibility Allowance, with all other SRAs being reduced in accordance with the scheme.

iii  As recommended by the Independent Review Panel, an adjustment of Dependent’s Carers’ Allowance from a maximum £13.47 per hour to a maximum £13.98 per hour, payable only on production of receipts. 

iv  An increase in the allowance for Co-opted Members of the Governance and Audit Committee to £1,700, and an entitlement to the Carer’s Allowance.

c)      Agree that all money saved from the reductions above to be applied to increase the Combined Members Grants fund available to all KCC members equally.”

 

6)        Mr Rayner proposed and Ms Russell seconded the following amendment:

 

“The County Council is asked to:

 

a)      Note the report of the Member Remuneration Panel and thank the Panel Members for their work; and

b)      Agree the Member’s Allowances Scheme for 2025/26 as set out in Appendix A (as amended), incorporating:

i    A reduction of 5% to the Basic Allowance.

ii   A reduction of 5% to the Leader’s Special Responsibility Allowance, with all other SRAs being reduced in accordance with the scheme.

iii  As recommended by the Independent Review Panel, an adjustment of Dependent’s Carers’ Allowance from a maximum £13.47 per hour to a maximum £13.98 per hour, payable only on production of receipts. 

iv  An increase in the allowance for Co-opted Members of the Governance and Audit Committee to £1,700, and an entitlement to the Carer’s Allowance.

c)         Agree that all money saved from the reductions above to be applied to increase the Combined Members Grants fund available to all KCC members equally.

d)        Recommend that the Member Remuneration Panel (MRP), as part of advising on the 4 year Scheme to be developed for 2026 onwards, be asked to consider and report on application of Basic Allowance reductions/penalties on the basis of attendance records (e.g. a 25% reduction where attendance falls below 75% of expected attendance).

 

7)        Following the debate, the Chairman put the amended motion in paragraph 6 to the vote and the voting was as follows.

 

 

For (8)

 

Mr S Heaver, Mr M A J Hood, Mrs S Hudson, Mr S Jeffery, Mr H Rayner, Ms C Russell, Mr P Stepto, Mr N Williams

 

Against (54)

 

Mr J Baker, Mr O Bradshaw, Mr M Brice, Mr M Brown, Mr D Burns, Mr C Burwash, Mr A Cecil, Mr P Chamberlain, Mr B Collins, Mr J Defriend, Mr S Dixon, Mr M Ellis, Ms S Emberson, Mr J Eustace, Mr L Evans, Mr P Evans, Mr J Finch, Mr R Ford, Mrs B Fordham, Mrs G Foster, Mrs M Fothergill, Mr M Fraser Moat, Mr B Fryer, Mr M Harrison, Mr J Henderson, Mr C Hespe, Ms L Kemkaran, Miss I Kemp, Mr A Kibble, Mr P King, Mrs M Lawes, Mr M Logen, Mr R Mayall, Mr T Mole, Miss D Morton, Mr M Mulvihill, Mr P Osborne, Mrs C Palmer, Mr R Palmer, Mr M Paul, Mrs B Porter, Ms A Randall, Mr A Ricketts, Mr G R Samme, Mr D Sian, Mr M J Sole, Mr R G Streatfeild, MBE, Mr G Sturley, Mr P Thomas, Mr A Thorp, Mr R Waters, Mr N Wibberley, Mrs P Williams and Mr D Wimble

 

Abstain (8)

 

Mr A Brady, Mrs T Dean MBE, Mr A J Hook, Mr J Moreland, Mr M Munday, Ms C Nolan, Mr T Prater, Mr C Sefton

 

Motion lost.

 

8)        Following the debate, the Chairman put the substantive motion (as amended) in paragraph 5 to the vote and the voting was as follows.

 

 

For (69)

 

Mr J Baker, Mr O Bradshaw, Mr A Brady, Mr M Brice, Mr M Brown, Mr D Burns, Mr A Cecil, Mr P Chamberlain, Mr B Collins, Mrs T Dean, MBE, Mr J Defriend, Mr S Dixon, Mr M Ellis, Ms S Emberson, Mr J Eustace, Mr L Evans, Mr P Evans, Mr J Finch, Mr R Ford, Mrs B Fordham, Mrs G Foster, Mrs M Fothergill, Mr M Fraser Moat, Mr B Fryer, Mr M Harrison, Mr S Heaver, Mr J Henderson, Mr C Hespe, Mr M A J Hood, Mr A J Hook, Mrs S Hudson, Mr S Jeffery, Ms L Kemkaran, Miss I Kemp, Mr A Kibble, Mr P King, Mrs M Lawes, Mr M Logen, Mr R Mayall, Mr T Mole, Mr J Moreland, Miss D Morton, Mr M Mulvihill, Mr M Munday, Ms C Nolan, Mr P Osborne, Mrs C Palmer, Mr R Palmer, Mr M Paul, Mrs B Porter, Mr T Prater, Ms A Randall, Mr H Rayner, Mr A Ricketts, Ms C Russell, Mr G R Samme, Mr D Sian, Mr C Sefton, Mr M J Sole, Mr P Stepto, Mr R G Streatfeild, MBE, Mr G Sturley, Mr P Thomas, Mr A Thorp, Mr R Waters, Mr N Wibberley, Mr N Williams, Mrs P Williams and Mr D Wimble

 

Against (0)

 

 

Abstain (1)

 

Mr C Burwash

Motion carried.

 

 

9)      RESOLVED that Council:

 

a)      Notes the report of the Member Remuneration Panel and thank the Panel Members for their work; and

b)      Agrees the Member’s Allowances Scheme for 2025/26 as set out in Appendix A (as amended), incorporating:

i    A reduction of 5% to the Basic Allowance.

ii   A reduction of 5% to the Leader’s Special Responsibility Allowance, with all other SRAs being reduced in accordance with the scheme.

iii  As recommended by the Independent Review Panel, an adjustment of Dependent’s Carers’ Allowance from a maximum £13.47 per hour to a maximum £13.98 per hour, payable only on production of receipts. 

iv  An increase in the allowance for Co-opted Members of the Governance and Audit Committee to £1,700, and an entitlement to the Carer’s Allowance.

c)      Agrees that all money saved from the reductions above to be applied to increase the Combined Members Grants fund available to all KCC members equally.