Committee Report Checklist
Stage 1
Report checklist – responsibility of report owner
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ITEM |
Yes / No |
Date |
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Councillor engagement / input from Chair prior to briefing |
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Relevant Group Head review |
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MAT+ review (to have been circulated at least 5 working days before Stage 2) |
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This item is on the Forward Plan for the relevant committee |
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Reviewed by |
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Finance comments (circulate to Finance) |
AB |
08/0726 |
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Risk comments (circulate to Lee O’Neil) |
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Legal comments (circulate to Legal team) |
LH |
03/07/26 |
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HR comments (if applicable) |
n/a |
n/a |
For reports with material financial or legal implications the author should engage with the respective teams at the outset and receive input to their reports prior to asking for MO or s151 comments.
Do not forward to stage 2 unless all the above have been completed.
Stage 2
Report checklist – responsibility of report owner
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ITEM |
Completed by |
Date rec’d |
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Monitoring Officer commentary – at least 5 working days before MAT |
L Heron |
03/07/26 |
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S151 Officer commentary – at least 5 working days before MAT |
AB |
07/07/26 |
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Commissioner engagement |
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No issues |
07/07/26 |
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Confirm final report cleared by MAT |
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Title |
Councillors’ Allowances – Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee |
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Purpose of the report |
To make a decision |
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Report Author |
Linda Heron, Group Head Corporate Governance and Monitoring Officer |
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Ward(s) Affected |
All Wards |
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Exempt |
No |
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Exemption Reason |
N/A |
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Corporate Priority |
This item is not in the current list of Corporate Priorities but still requires a Council decision. |
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Recommendations
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Council is asked to:
1. Approve the continuation of Special Responsibility Allowances for the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee at 40% and 20% respectively of the Leader’s Allowance
2. Approve the amendment to Part 6 of the Constitution as set in para 2.8 of this report
3. Approve that Special Responsibility Allowances for the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee will apply retrospectively from 21 May 2026
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Reason for Recommendation |
The Council is required to make a scheme of allowances. |
1. Executive summary of the report
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What is the situation |
Why we want to do something |
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• On 20 May 2026 the Council resolved not to approve the continuation of the Special Responsibility Allowances for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee |
• The Council is required to make a scheme of Councillors’ allowances for all elected members |
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This is what we want to do about it |
These are the next steps |
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• Consider the continuation of the Special Responsibility Allowances for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee |
• Subject to Council approval, details of the Special Responsibility Allowances for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee will be published on the Council’s website and included in the Constitution |
2. Key issues
2.1 At the Annual Council meeting on 20 May the Council considered the report and the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP).
2.2 The Council resolved not to agree the recommendations of the IRP and voted against the application of indexation to the Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances for 2026/27 in line with 4% staff salary increase.
2.3 The Council also resolved not to approve the continuation of the Special Responsibility Allowances for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee at 40% and 20% respectively of the Leader’s Allowance, with no requirement for backdating.
2.4 The Council’s Scheme of Members Allowances provides for both a Basic Allowance payable to all elected Members and Special Responsibility Allowances which are additionally payable to Members who undertake a variety of leadership roles such as Committee Chairs with additional responsibilities.
2.5 As at 21 May 2026 the Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee do not receive Special Responsibility Allowance which is contrary to the spirit of the Council’s Scheme Members Allowances.
2.6 The Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances)(England) Regulations 2003 (“the 2003 Regulations”) permit local authorities to make adjustments to members’ allowances. Where such adjustments are made, the 2003 Regulations permit for the amended allowances to apply from the beginning of the year in which the amendment was made provided the scheme of allowances contains such provisions.
2.7 At present, the Council’s Members’ Allowance Scheme (“the Scheme”) does not contain provisions to support the backdating of changes to members’ allowances.
2.8 To enable Special Responsibility Allowances for the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee to apply retrospectively from 21 May 2026, the Scheme will need to be amended to include the following provision which is consistent with the 2003 Regulations:
“Where an allowance set out in paragraph 2 of the Scheme is amended during a municipal year, the amended allowance may apply retrospectively from the beginning of that municipal year”
2.9 The Scheme forms part of the Council’s Constitution and changes to the Constitution is a matter for Council only.
3. Options appraisal and proposal
3.1 Option 1: Adopt the recommendations as set out in the report (this is the preferred option).
Adopting the recommendations in this report complies with the 2003 Regulations, demonstrates equity, transparency and adherence to statutory guidance, and supports consistency and comparability with other councils.
3.2 Option 2: Not to adopt the recommendations.
This would result in Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee not receiving Special Responsibility Allowance. Although this would deliver a very modest budget saving, it is acknowledged that this option is not in line with the sprit of the Council’s Scheme of Members Allowances and does not recognise the additional responsibilities on the Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee.
3.3 Option 3: Put forward alternative proposals.
4. Risk implications
4.1 Failure to agree a Special Responsibility Allowance for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee could expose the Council to legal challenge under the 2003 Regulations. Accepting the recommendation mitigates legal, procedural and reputational risk.
5. Financial implications
5.1 The impact of the recommended option has been fully budgeted for as part of 2026-27 budget setting.
6. Legal comments
6.1 In accordance with the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances)(England) Regulations 2003 (“the 2003 Regulations”) the Council is required to make a Scheme of Members Allowances (“the Scheme”).
6.2 The 2003 Regulations stipulate that the Scheme may provide for the payment of a Special Responsibility Allowance. The Council’s Scheme provides for such Special Responsibility Allowance to all other Chairs and Vice Chairs of Committees.
6.3 Approval, amendment, and other changes to the Members’ Allowances Scheme is a function reserved to Council (Article 4 para 4.2 of the Constitution).
Corporate implications
7. Commissioners’ comments
7.1 No issues.
8. S151 Officer comments
8.1 The S151 Officer confirms that all financial implications have been taken into account and that the recommendations are fully funded from within the 2026-27 budget.
9. Monitoring Officer comments
9.1 The Monitoring Officer confirms that the relevant legal implications have been taken into account.
10. Procurement comments
10.1 There are no procurement implications arising directly from this report.
11. Equality and Diversity
11.1 The Members’ Allowances Scheme applies equally to all Councillors and supports the ability of individuals from a wide range of backgrounds to undertake elected office.
12. Sustainability/Climate Change Implications
12.1 There are no sustainability or climate change implications arising directly from the recommendations in this report.
13. Other considerations
13.1 Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 requires that the amended Members’ Allowance Scheme is publicised.
14. Timetable for implementation
14.1 Subject to Council approval, the special responsibility allowances for Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee will take effect immediately.
14.2 In accordance with the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003, the Scheme will be made available on the website and a notice published in a local newspaper giving details of the Scheme and the amounts payable in respect of each allowance mentioned in the Scheme.
14.3 The Scheme will also be updated in the Council’s Constitution (Part 6).
15. Contact
15.1 Committee Services (committee.services@spelthorne.gov.uk)
Please submit any material questions to the Committee Chair and Officer Contact by two days in advance of the meeting.
Background papers:
The Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003
Appendices:
None