Agenda item

The Chairman reported receipt of the listed  motion from Councillors Gavin Grant and Brian Matthew. Accordingly, Councillor Gavin Grant moved the following motion which was duly seconded by Councillor Brian Mathew:

“Council notes that in 2013 allowances for the Leader, Deputy Leader, Cabinet Members, Portfolio Holders and Chairs of Committees were raised by 22% at an additional cost of £127,000 a year to Wiltshire residents.

This rise took place at a time when salaries for Wiltshire Council staff and other public sector workers were subject to a fixed 1% pay increase, along with non-portfolio holding councillors who received a single 1% pay increase.

To this end, Council resolves to return the Leader, Deputy Leader, Cabinet Members, Portfolio holders and Chairs of Committees to the 2013 levels prior to those increases having been made plus the addition of the one off 1% increases received by other Councillors. The saved revenue from this action to be allocated pro rata to Area Boards to support projects and activities in their communities”.

Presenting his motion, Councillor Grant stated that he wished these matters to be considered by the Remuneration Body.

Following a vote, the motion was agreed for debate.

In response to the motion, the Leader stated that she felt these matters had already been considered carefully by the Remuneration Panel and that she could not support the motion as it stood.

In the course of the debate, issues raised included: the process by which Council reaches a decision on allowances following recommendations made by the Independent panel; the impact of levels of allowances on members ability to take time away from their other commitments; and whether the motion was required as the Councillors were able to refer issues for consideration to the Independent Panel when it convened.

Having been put to the vote, the motion was LOST and was recorded as follows:

For the motion (8):

Cllr Brian Mathew, Cllr Chris Hurst, Cllr Clare Cape, Cllr Gavin Grant,

Cllr Gordon King, Cllr Ian Thorn, Cllr Stephen Oldrieve and Cllr Trevor Carbin.

Against the motion (71):

Baroness Scott of Bybrook OBE, Cllr Alan Hill, Cllr Allison Bucknell, Cllr Andrew Davis, Cllr Andy Phillips, Cllr Ashley O'Neill, Cllr Atiqul Hoque,

Cllr Ben Anderson, Cllr Brian Dalton, Cllr Bridget Wayman, Cllr Christine Crisp, Cllr Christopher Williams, Cllr Chuck Berry, Cllr Darren Henry, Cllr David Halik, Cllr David Jenkins, Cllr Edward Kirk, Cllr Ernie Clark, Cllr Fleur de Rhe-Philipe, Cllr Fred Westmoreland, Cllr George Jeans, Cllr Graham Payne, Cllr Hayley Spencer, Cllr Horace Prickett, Cllr Howard Greenman, Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cllr Jacqui Lay, Cllr Jerry Kunkler, Cllr Jerry Wickham,

Cllr John Smale, Cllr John Thomson, Cllr Johnny Kidney, Cllr Jon Hubbard,

Cllr Jonathon Seed, Cllr Laura Mayes, Cllr Leo Randall, Cllr Mark Connolly,

Cllr Mary Champion, Cllr Mary Douglas, Cllr Matthew Dean, Cllr Melody Thompson, Cllr Mike Hewitt, Cllr Mollie Groom, Cllr Pat Aves, Cllr Peter Evans, Cllr Peter Fuller, Cllr Peter Hutton, Cllr Philip Alford, Cllr Philip Whalley, Cllr Philip Whitehead, Cllr Pip Ridout, Cllr Richard Britton, Cllr Richard Clewer, Cllr Richard Gamble, Cllr Ricky Rogers, Cllr Roy While, Cllr Russell Hawker, Cllr Ruth Hopkinson, Cllr Sarah Gibson, Cllr Simon Jacobs,

Cllr Stewart Dobson, Cllr Stewart Palmen, Cllr Stuart Wheeler, Cllr Sue Evans, Cllr Sven Hocking, Cllr Thomas Rounds, Cllr Toby Sturgis, Cllr Tony Deane, Cllr Tony Jackson and Cllr Tony Trotman.

Abstained (2):

Cllr Bob Jones MBE and Cllr Nick Murry