What does the panel do?

The Independent Remuneration Panel is made up of independent persons and their primary function is to make recommendations to Council on:

• The level of Members’ Basic Allowance;
• Which duties or responsibilities should lead to the payment of Special Responsibility Allowances and the amount of such allowances;
• The duties for which travelling and subsistence allowances can be paid and the amount of those allowances;
• The level of co-optees’ allowances;
• Whether the Scheme of Allowances should include an allowance for expenses of Members in arranging child-care or dependent relative care and if so the level of that allowance;
• Whether there should be any backdating of an allowance to the start of the financial year, in the event of any change to allowances mid-year;
• The nature of any index by which allowances are updated annually and for how long any such index should apply.

The Panel is supported administratively by the Council’s Interim Monitoring Officer and a Democratic Services Officer.  This support role will:

• Manage agendas for meetings, in liaison with the Chair;
• Assemble information and arrange evidence as required;
• Advise on the workings of the Council and Member roles; write notes of meetings in order to help construct final reports.

Want to be a member of the panel?

The Council recently appointed members to the panel. Contact the Monitoring Officer if you have any enquiries.

Term of Office

Members of the Panel will have five members who will serve for a five-year term. The Panel will appoint a Chair and Deputy Chair who will be subject to an annual review.  The Panel will meet on an ad hoc basis.

Allowances

Members of the Panel receive an annual allowance of £500 together with reasonable travel expenses.  

The Chair of the Panel receives an annual allowance of £600 together with reasonable travel expenses due to their additional responsibilities. 

The allowance is paid monthly.

Eligibility

You are not eligible for appointment to the panel if you

• are a member or officer of Cumberland Council;
• are a close friend or relative of any member, co-opted member or officer of the Cumberland Council;
• have close business or professional links with Cumberland Council or other relationship which may give rise to a conflict of interest;
• are politically active;
• are disqualified from becoming a Member of Cumberland Council.