Issue - meetings

The Chairman again welcomed Mr Richard Quirk, Chairman of the Independent Remuneration Panel to the meeting and invited him to introduce the report.

The process undertaken and the factors considered, in making the recommendations, were detailed in the report and he thanked those Members who had engaged in the process.

Four recommendations had arisen from the Panel’s work and these were detailed in the report along with supporting rationale for each and were highlighted to the Chamber.

Regarding the introduction of a payment for the Chairman of the Joint Staff Consultative Committee, Mr Quirk, in responding to questions, advised that two respondents had raised this matter and he also acknowledged the difference in the role, when compared to other Committee Chairman, as highlighted by the Leader of the Opposition, but considered this was reflected in the remuneration recommended. 

Having been proposed and seconded on being put to the vote it was:-

RESOLVED that with effect from 1 April 2026

(a)    the Basic Allowance payable to all Members be increased by 3% (£213.99) in line with the increase received by paid staff (from £7,132.73 to £7346.71);

(b)    all Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) be increased by 3%;

(c)    the SRAs (Chairman and Vice-Chairman) for the following committees be increased by a further 1% Planning, Prosperous Communities and Corporate Policy & Resources; and

(d)    an SRA be introduced for the Chairman of Joint Staff Consultative Committee – This SRA to be paid at a rate equivalent to that of a Committee Vice-Chairman. 

The Chairman again thanked Mr Quirk for his work, who then left the meeting.