Agenda item

(1)       The Chairman stated that he had agreed to accept this report as an urgent item because of the need to have a Members’ Allowances Scheme in place for the new Council.

(2)       The Chairman welcomed Mrs Fiona Leathers, Chairman of the Independent Remuneration Panel to the meeting and invited her to sit at the table to answer Members’ questions on the report.

(3)       Mr J A Davies moved, Mr W A Hayton seconded that the County Council approve the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel with regard to proposed changes to the Members’ Allowances Scheme for the four year period from 2009 to 2013, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

(4)       Mrs Dean moved, Mr T Prater seconded as an amendment:

“that implementation of the Remuneration Panel’s recommendations be deferred until the next County Council meeting to allow public consultation to take place on the proposed changes.”

(5)       Following debate, Mrs Dean stated that she wished to alter her amendment, with the consent of her seconder, as follows:

“that consideration of the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel be deferred until the next County Council meeting to allow public consultation to take place on the proposed changes.”

(6)       As the electronic voting system was not working at this time, the Chairman put the amendment to the vote by a show of hands and declared that 8 Members supported the amendment and a substantial number of Members did not support the amendment; therefore the amendment was not carried.

(7)       Following further debate, the Chairman put to the vote the motion set out in (3) above when the voting was as follows:-

For – 64

Mr M Angell, Mr R Bayford, Mr A Bowles, Mr D Brazier, Mr R Brookbank, Mr R Bullock, Mr R Burgess, Miss S Carey, Mr C Capon, Mr P B Carter, Mr N  Chard, Mr A Chell, Mrs P Cole, Mr N Collor, Mr G Cooke, Mr H Craske,  Mr A Crowther, Mr J Cubitt, Mrs V Dagger, Mr M Dance, Mr K Ferrin, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Mr M Harrison, Mr W Hayton, Mr C Hibberd, Mr M Hill, Mr D Hirst, Mrs S Hohler, Mr P Homewood, Mr C Horne, Mr E Hotson, Mr M Jarvis, Mr A King, Mr R King, Mr J Kirby, Mr J Kite, Mr P Lake, Mrs J Law, Mr J London, Mr K Lynes, Mr S Manion, Mr R Manning, Mr A Marsh, Mr M Northey, Mr J Ozog, Mr R Pascoe, Mr K Pugh, Mr W Richardson, Mr L Ridings, Mrs J Rook, Mr A Sandhu, Mr J Scholes, Mr J Simmonds, Mr K Smith, Mr M Snelling, Mrs P Stockell, Mr B Sweetland, Mr R Tolputt, Mrs E Tweed, Mr J Wedgbury, Mr M Whiting, Mrs J Whittle, and Mr A Wickham.

Abstain – 1

Mr R Lees.

Against – 8

Mr I Chittenden, Mr L Christie, Mr D Daley, Mrs T Dean, Mrs E Green, Mr T Prater, Mr M Robertson and Mr M Vye.

RESOLVED: that the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel with regard to proposed changes to the Members’ Allowances Scheme for the four year period from 2009 to 2013 be approved as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.