To consider the appointment of Independent Persons.

A report was presented to consider the appointment of two Independent Persons.

During his introduction of the report, the Leader of the Council advised Members that at a recent Group Leaders’ Meeting, a discussion was held whereby it was agreed that the appointment of Independent Persons should be undertaken as a matter of urgency. However, at this meeting it was proposed that the Independent Person’s Allowance be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with Group Leaders and the remuneration of that post could be discussed or decided at a later date.

In Proposing and Seconding the recommendations, it was proposed that Recommendation 2 be amended to read ‘That the Independent Person’s Allowance be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with Group Leaders’.

The Council consented to debate the proposed recommendations.

Upon being put to the vote, the Amendment was carried.

A Member queried what process was undertaken to appoint Independent Persons, and whether they still received an allowance if they were not called to meet.

A Member considered that an allowance for an Independent Person should be uniform across the Council, for example the allowance for an Independent Person on Audit and Governance Committee was £650 per annum.  Following which, a Member queried why Independent Members were not part of the same process.

A Member queried the process for appointing an Independent Person and asked for clarification on whether the two recommended appointments included a reserve member.

A Member queried that given the historical value of an Independent Person, and how often they were called to fulfil the role, justified the allowance paid.

A Member highlighted that a government consultation on matters relating to standards in public life for elected Members had recently finished and queried whether the outcome of this would put a different light on this matter.  It was further queried whether an Independent Person was issued with a formal contract for the role.

In response to the queries raised, the Leader of the Council advised that in effect, a benchmarking exercise had been undertaken in relation to the appointment process.  He advised that an Independent Person was a critical role which would support the Monitoring Officer and his team in terms of dealing with complaints, making judgements and a final assessment of what action should be taken.

The Monitoring Officer (MO) clarified that the statutory minimum number of Independent Persons required was one.  Members were further advised that the Council had to have an Independent Panel in place to deal with any sort of disciplinary matters arising against statutory officers (Section 1.4 refers) which would suggest that two Independent Persons should be appointed.  He further clarified that the Council had initially appointed two Independent Persons, one who had resigned and the other who wished to resign.  A second Independent Person would also be used in the event that the other person was not available.  He continued that an Independent Person not only supported complaints made against Members of the authority, but also town and parish council complaints.   The MO further supported the amendment to Recommendation 2 that the Independent Person’s Allowance be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with Group Leaders and advised that all information received would be fed back to ensure that the right level of remuneration was set.

Further to a query raised, the Chief Executive clarified that an Independent Person was not offered a contract of employment and received an allowance which could be stopped at any point.

RESOLVED

1.   With immediate effect, Amanda Boustred and David Irvine be appointed as the Council’s Independent Persons and that they be appointed to the Council’s Independent Panel.

2.   That the Independent Person’s Allowance be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with Group Leaders.

N.B.  Councillor Steve Kirk left the Meeting at 5.18pm.